Overworried First Time Grower.

Ive done lots of research but cant quite pinpoint what's going on with my seedlings. I have them in a DWC system with a 250W HPS light. I started with the light approximately 18 inches above them and slowly lowered it, once I started to notice my leaves looking like they are now I immediately raised it to more than 18 inches above them.

I am a complete noob and this is my first time ever growing.. Im having a feeling the droopyness is being caused by the light being too close.. am I on the right track? Net pots are barely submerged in the water with 2 12 inch air stones underneath each row of plants. PH is set to 5.4-5.6... I have a fan right beside them. Temps are at a steady 80 degrees in the very top of my box.

Any help is appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

Probs putting all there energy into establishing the root system at present, keep the lights at 18 inches and give it sometime.

WOW I did not expect answers that quick. Thanks so much for the fast responses- I figured I was just being too protective

Will post back here if they start looking worse.

Great site here btw. Has been VERY informative.

They look great.
Just keep an eye on them and it will work out fine.

*update*

these things still seem to be growing.. slowly.. But I am still worried about this curl. New leaves are showing it even worse, and Ive noticed purple on the underside of my leaves.

One thing I should mention is I am using D.N.F. two part formula for seedlings and cuttings at a VERY low % mixture.. Probably 1/16th of what it reccommends for seedlings/cutting stage. I've been doing a bit more research and realized I may have made a mistake in doing so but I thought at a veeeerrry low mix, it wouldnt hurt them. Was I wrong in doing so?

Here are some pics. I'm also wondering if its genetics- the strain is Cole Train. *Note the way the tips of the leaves are curling in as well on my one seedling*

I have a pretty overkill exhaust fan for my box. Could they need more humidity?

I think they're looking ok, does the curly occur all day under the light or only early in the morning? I ask as my plants were doing the same thing when the temps dropped at night.

make sure that hps is plenty far away from your seedlings. I have a 600w and it TOASTED my seedlings from 4 feet away.

they look like this all the time. Right now I am running 22 on 2 off. the reason for this is because once I transplanted them into my DWC system, I slowly started cutting the light back to get to 16/8. However I noticed the plants acting funny I stopped and left it as is.

Very sorry to sound so retarded.. this is my first grow and I clearly have way too much time to worry about these things lol.

*Edit* Maybe I should raise my light a bit? my setup is a 600W but I have a digital ballast to lower it to 250W which is what I'm using right now. Like I said, sitting at approx. 18 inches above my seedlings.