newbie here, lots of problems, chalk it up to education, need some advice

Newb Here!
well it didn't go well from the beginning but i have learned a lot and can't wait to try again. however i am not one to cut bait so i am seeing it thru to the end. my goal at this point is to see what the result is based on my struggles. if i just cut bait i won't have a "bad" baseline which is just as important as a "good" baseline...it is how we learn. having said that i will greatly appreciate any evaluation based on the pics and advice on the final few stages. so the left is 8 weeks, the right 7 weeks. w.w. feminized, MAJOR screw up early on with nutrients, flushed and tried to get back on track but it has been a struggle all the way but as mentioned it is all in good fun and education. they never got very tall, never came out of the growth funk. i was pleasantly surprised to see the flowers at all really. so based on the color they are turning amber and if there is anything there i don't want to unintentionally degrade the potency. i have started the flower stage 12/12 a few days ago (but maybe they had already started and are well on their way based ont he current pics) and am going to finish it up, learn the next few steps, ie harvest drying and curing and see what we end up with. my questions are:

1. based on the coloring is it time to go into the 12/12 cycle?
2. why did they grow so small and so tight?
3. i have a Optic LED Optic 4 COB LED Grow Light 415W (UV/IR),
4. for veg do i only use the 4 cobs?
5. or do i also use the IR?
6. do i use only use the IR during flower (not the 4 cobs)?
7. can i cut any current limbs for cloning? with a flower on it?
8. if i can cut a clone, the issues i had early on, will they be passed onto the clone?
9. based on your knowledge how do the flowers look from size and health? just for my own rule of thumbing later on

5 gallon pots, about 20-24" tall, left 7we right 8we, fox farm big bloom tiger bloom grow big boomerang sledgehammer, ph around 5.5-5.8, 50/50 mix of black gold natural&organic and fox farm ocean organic
every decision i made was based on hours if not days of reading, massive amounts of information intake and lots of confusion, worry and ocd like behavior haha. it is a weed, yes, it should grow easy they said, but based on my beer brewing days i want to do it right , do it well and be successful at it.

again, any help would be awesome. and if you must flame me, just remember, a long time ago you didn't know anything either but we tackle things and learn and maybe even become great at it.

12/12? They're flowering hard.

They're autos I'm assuming. If so you should plant in the final container .

I'm obviously confused here. Are you asking about the plants pictured? Or are these the accidents?

Light - all the light the plant can take. Those buds didn't get enough.

1. based on the coloring is it time to go into the 12/12 cycle? = 'we' don't use coloring use vertical height as a guide
2. why did they grow so small and so tight? = comes with practice and knoweledge
3. i have a Optic LED Optic 4 COB LED Grow Light 415W (UV/IR), =average ..but dumbass expensive
4. for veg do i only use the 4 cobs? =use all the light white red and blue
5. or do i also use the IR? =use only in the last 2-3 weeks before harvest also this will fuck your eyes know this
6. do i use only use the IR during flower (not the 4 cobs)?= as above
7. can i cut any current limbs for cloning? with a flower on it?= avoid is too fucked up you need the toke
8. if i can cut a clone, the issues i had early on, will they be passed onto the clone? no ...as above
9. based on your knowledge how do the flowers look from size and health? just for my own rule of thumbing later on ..=keep practicing 8/10 for first effeort

good luck keep growing

Thanks guys for quick response. Much apreesh for the info. vostok, I have glasses for the led's but thanks for the heads up. to be clear on #2, is short and tight a good thing or bad thing?
hotrodharley i didn't think they were auto's but again this thing got away from me and who knows what mistake did what in the whole process haha. the pics are the plants in question/accidents.
well, i plan to run these to the end harvest dry and cure and see what the result is. might get a decent surprise
next batch is either ak47 or fruit of the forest (freebies)
i am extremely optimistic from your info. thanks!