Not sure what point you’re making and if you’ve thought it through. Plants were flipped small and they’ll finish under 2 and a half feet. That’s what I want. Not sure how you’re connecting this to potency when I’ve shared with you that I used to use cfl and plants were much more “spindly” and airy loose buds but greater potency. See what I’m saying. I don’t understand why you keep going on about plant size and pot size. The weak plants were rootbound in small pots, unlike the plants you saw growing in pics in 5 gallon. Those are current plants. The 5 gallon are fine. Just have to water them right. Keep them green and leaves reaching for the sky. Not being a dick here cause I know you have more experience but the advise you’ve given hasn’t quite lined up with the reality of my grow. That’s cause you aren’t here too see it all play out so I’m not calling you stupid by any means. Just saying. I agree small plant, big pot can be an issue. I leaned that the hard way in the past but really can keep them happy as smaller plant in 5 gallon now. No overwater or droop symptom. No rot or anything. They grow faster than in the smaller pots
Hps growing is differant than cfl growing, your going to have to change it up a bit. By the end of the day you DONT want the leafs praying, you want them to he sleeping. That's how you'll know they have gotten enough light for the day. Theres a cycle you'll notice.
Your shaping the plants like people do for cfl grows, where the cfls are positioned all around the plants, and small plants because the light doesnt have enough power to produce a lot of buds.
That's why above I said you should look into the scrog technique to use the light from your hps better.
If you are going to use hps your going to have to change things is what I'm trying to say. Use the 1kw hortilux super hps bulbs. Use scrog. Use bigger plants and make sure you have plenty of fans blowing across the canopy.
Simply having good temps isnt enough. Simply having green plants isnt enough.
With hps airflow and where the air flows becomes very important. How long it takes the plant to consume the water becomes very important.
I have had 3 gallon containers produce 8 oz dry. It's not generally "rootbound" when people here say or thing it is, they just dont know what the real issue is.
I've hit 2 lbs from a single plant indoors. Ya my focus is large plants and getting the best results I can. I've done small plants, every size container from 2 qt, to 30 gallon indoors.