Pot size vs Tent size vs Light Distance relationship

Halfway through flowering my first run and things are looking amazing in terms of quality, but I feel only half of my tent got utilized and the yield will be not nearly as fruitful as it could have been.

I’ve read quite a few posts about how people say that they prefer many 3 gallon pots in a tent rather than a a few 5-7 gallon pots for the decreased veg time, which makes sense. Currently, I’m rocking 4x 5 gallon grow bags in a 5x5 tent that is 6’11 tall. My ROI E680 LED only sits 12 inches above the canopy at 60% during flower. The plants look absolutely stellar, and are about 3ft tall with almost a wall to wall canopy, but I can’t help but to notice that besides an exhaust fan above the LED light, the entire top half (about 3 ft.) of the tent is going completely unused, a waste.

On one hand, my logic says that next time I should use larger pots and grow taller to fill up that unused space with 7 or 10 gallon pots. On the other hand, if all that matters is the canopy, why should I care how tall they get? I use LST to spread out the canopy to get wall to wall coverage, so the extra space I’d be utilizing wouldn’t even make a difference if everything 18-24 inches below the canopy is relatively useless anyhow. Why worry about how tall they get as long as the canopy is maxed out?

My question is, are taller tents better suited for HPS grows where more distance is needed from the canopy and I just need to accept I went overkill on my tent height and get something smaller, or is there a way to efficiently and advantageously utilize that unused height and I need to get pots 50%-100% larger next time?

Sorry for the uninvited tags, but I’ve spent dozens of hours on this forum and you all have dropped some major wisdom on me, which contributed to my current “roommates” looking like something out of a magazine entering their 6th week of flower. I’d be appreciative if you can drop some more of that my way! @Teacherttom1 @anon89489555 @dbrn32 @PurpNGold74

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With HPS you want the height so you don’t “burn” your plants as HPS are super hot, and pound out alot of light. I don’t think you want a smaller tent what you have is sufficent. Exhausting the humidity and cooling is a bit easier with space. If plants get too much light it will stress them out. I have a 4 x4 at almost 7 feet and it worked wonderfully. I pulled almost 10 ounces from 4 plants in 5 gallon fabric pots. It is always nice to have the extra height if you need it. My plants were like maybe 3 ft tall in the end.

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Sounds more like a strain issue. I have grown some tall plants in 3 gallon pots. I have the 84" tents too. Sativas tend to stretch more than indicas for a heads up :grin:

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Well… kinda said the same thing… got a bigger tent but still had like you said … 3 ft to use. So this time I’m with SUper Skunk, a taller growing strain… set the screens at 22" instead of 8" from the bag… and got one not in a screen growing normal but has been Fim’ed so it won’t stretch a main cola but 4 should keep it down good…I hope… lol. If the one out if the screen does like i think i may just do a regular grow… heck it’ll be a faster grow too! I’m in 7 gallon pots because I scrog… I think the extra root zone give a better stronger push into the screen, and at light flip enough room to get those big fat buds growing upwards! But I think even with what I’m trying I don’t think its gonna be using more than a foot more than last time …but it’s a wonderful thing to see the screens full!! Usually whatever height you put your screens at, 3-4ft above that will prolly be a good estimate where they’ll be at .
If your gonna grow them out without a screen I’ve seen some killer yields from 5 gallon pots that take up and fill a 4x4 with 3 plants! So it’s all in the Method you choose!

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By the way, this is the first run that survived past seedling stage, and here is what we got currently halfway through week 5 flower. This isnt bragging as much as it is a "look what you contributed to."IMG_1963|375x500

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You would probably do better running your light closer to full power and a little higher. That in itself would eat up some of the room you’re talking about.

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Im with you. Ive sinced moved it to 18in @ 80% @dbrn32

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They look great. Brag away :grin:

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