Kids are getting very close to light (2nd week of flower)

So I have 3 kids uder a 1000w cool tube lamp, with a 6 inch inline fan sucking the heat out the room. The top canopy is about 8-10 inches from touching the tube. I've been applying the heat on hand method and it doesn't seem to be too hot YET. if they continue growing, which I assume they will, what would you recommended on doing to get the top cola/ main stem lowered? Consider that they're in 5 gallon buckets and can't be put into the ground lower. Bend the branches?

LST is all you can do. If you can't move the light up.

LST? please elaborate.

Bend and tie down your plant.

LST - low stress training

I guess that'll do, that seems like the most reasonable thing to do. Thanks.

Yeah, tie it down, of just bend the branches over...makes the buds shaped weird, but who cares?

you can bend the head horizontally it will not harm the plant
sometimes this will help the plant produce more bud, sometimes not
depends on how the colas form, the buds will quickly grow in the direction of the light no matter how you bend or tie them
so with some strains this can make the cola less dense, and yield less
with other strains, each bud turns into a mini cola and grows upward towards the light and improves yield

you can also bend it all the way until it meets the main stem if it is bendy enough
personally i would not snap it, or what folk now call supercropping , i would bend it and tie it in place

if at 2 weeks the top cola did not look very well developed in flower i would also consider topping it .
if it looks like it will be a big enough plant, and there are plenty of other branches on the plant, it could be best to just top it now
topping it in early flower will make the lower branches rush upward and form colas

good luck

LST training and super-cropping does wonders if done correctly. It will help bud production and help the lower branches receive more light. Topping also helps if your plants aren't too late into the flower cycle.

I'd recommend Super cropping , I had to do it to my plant and she loved it. Look up super cropping on youtube, some really good instructional vids.

if you can't raise the bridge lower the water

thats a great quote, but not an option :/