Smart Pots

I would take it out of the container. Everything that is happening with your smart pots is what is supposed to happen. The roots will poke through even on a 5 gallon pot, just not as much. Smart pots give the plant a healthy breathable median. There great for the fact you shouldn't get rot etc. And there virtually impossible to over water.

Do you think having the soil around the smart pot would effect it at all? The reason I did this in the first place was to raise the soil level on my stems. The plant had some light stress early on and stretched too much than i would have liked.

yeah bro take them out of the 5gallon pot. Smart pots work by creating an impossible way to overwater,
but also a healthy rootball towards the middle. All the roots that poke through the bottom (and even the sides too!)
will dry and fall off and the inner roots will rescend eventually they wont poke out that much as a good root structure
will develop. Dont freak out when u see roots poking out, let them dry and fall off on their own its not hurting the plant one bit.

I used 10gal SP's and kept them elevated off the soil. If you sit them on the ground there's a good chance the roots will grow through the fabric into the soil. I absolutely loved growing in them, got great results. It is easier know when to water, but you will have to water more often. They seem to create a very healthy and vigorous root system. I had problems with plastic and clay pots- rootbound, overwatering, etc. Ill definitely be using them in my next grow. I really couldn't tell you if it's harmful for roots to grow through the fabric into soil, but i would guess so because SP's "air prune" the roots keeping them from growing beyond the fabric.

putting them inside the 5gallon pot WILL Create extra moisture and the fabric will stay wet inside
the soil instead of drying like its supposed to...the roots WILL poke through the fabric and grow
through to the soil. ALL of this is bad news too many things can happen.

I've never seen someone try and outsmart a smart pot. Jeez. It's designed to do a lot of the thinking for you, buddy. Get it out of whatever container you've put it in. That's throwing the whole thing out of whack.

Thanks for the reply. Could have saved much trouble for me. Ill take them out for sure. Much appreciated. This has been my first time using soil. Been doing DWC up until now.

GJ dude, get those ladies out of strangulation. Smart pots do the job pretty damn good and I always see quality come out of it. I am doing a side by side 1 gal grow bag vs 1 gal smart pots we will see how it turns out.