Growing With Fluorescent T5 Lights. Help? And a Little Soil Question

I looked around but I couldn't seem to find a solid answer for this. And no answer to fit my specific light specs.

I'm going to be using a 4ft 6bulb T5 fixture in a 4ft x 2.5ft closet grow area. I already know I can keep the light a couple inches from the top during veg and flower. But what about right in the beginning when they plants are just little seedlings? I don't want to put the light too close but I don't want stretching either.

And another thing, how tight/loose should the soil be in the pot? And how do you add your soil into the pots to make sure the soil isn't too loose and isn't too compact. I just want to avoid drainage issues.

the soil should be of good quality. not MG or any of that walmart stuff. get really good soil FFOF or coast of maine. mix in some perlite to help loosen and keep it loose. the lights can be a couple of inches above the plants. start at 5 inches and see how they do.

A small fan blowing across the lights would help with the heat. I place soil in my pots and gently press down on it, not too much but it will firm into place a little, then i put my seedling in and gently fill the gaps in round the side and again gently firm down with the fingers. You don't want it too compact or too firm is all i can say really, it is the same process for all my plants and i grow lots of veg and flower varieties. If i make my soil too loose when i water the soil compacts a bit and the level of soil in the pot drops significantly, as i always repot at a watering i can add some soil on top to bring the level back up and thats pretty much it for me.