Am I doing something wrong?

I have two different plants that I have started both in half gallon size pots with brand new potting soil, I germinated my seeds until the were 1/4 - 1/2 inch long then planted them watering them with distilled water. I have them in a tall cardboad box lined with aluminum foil and a plant lite with a aluminum worklight shield from home depot hanging around 3 1/2 ft above them.

My first problem that I see is that as soon as the sprout came up through the dirt it has started to shrivel, could this be from having the light to close to the plants?
Also does anyone have any tips for a new grower that can help ensure healthy plants grown inside? At this point I am not doing anything large by no means I want to figure out what I am doing before I get too invested I have also read alot but before I started but I am obviously a novice.

. Aluminum points the light as something like mylar or panda film would re-direct. Foil has hard edges.
Are you using Miracle Grow??

How did you germ them sometimes they just don't make it...I stick my straight in the soil you have to make sure they are moist and I don't put mine under the lights until the baby leaves are open..just how I have learned to start my seeds...tell us a bit more about your process please

The problem is your lights are 42 inches above your plants. Drop them so they are 3 inches above the plants. Yes, three. Flourescents, especially at the super duper low rating you are using, run very cool and with such few lumens they need to be close. They all shriveled because they cant get enough light and say "aah well, we tried" and die.

You may also be overwatering them, which can cause the roots to die and the plant to shrivel and die too, but you included no pictures as a silly person does so we cant really help too much.

Good luck!

I started my seeds in a damp hankerchief that i kept in a drawer for a couple of days until they sprouted which seemed to actually work pretty well and then planted them about 3 1/2 days ago, today one of them looks as it has the first 2 little leaves coming off the plant so as of right now it seems as 1 of them is making it. As for the other sprout it did grow out a little more but the same thing has happened with shriveling, I have been watering them twice daily once in the morning and again in the evening with a spray bottle I have been trying to keep the dirt moist but not soaking the sprouts. As for the light this is my second attenpt at growing the first attempt I did everything the exact same way with the exception of the light being around 6 inches from the sprouts and both sprouts died within a day or 2.

the light needs to be closer. Exactly what kind of bulb is it? Also you are overwatering. With decent potting soil you will water a fresh sprout every 3-4 days, not twice a day.

It is a 75 watt phillups plant light, I know horrible for growing and probably wont work very well but I do know a couple of people that got results so Im trying it this way first and I dont want to go and spend alot of $$ before I really figure out what I am doing or at least on the right track and have the space to do it right. I have moved the light closer to them right now they are on their dark cycle so I will find out how well this does in the morning.....thanks everyone for your much needed tips its much appreciated, Ill be sure to post any results I have with pictures.

I wouldn't even waste the electricity. That bulb is an incandescent. The light it puts out is pretty much worthless for a plant. And since it is an incandescent spotlight, you don't want to put it right on top of the plant or you will burn it. Probably need to be about 10". But it won't matter since it's a worthless bulb. Compact flourescennt is the way to go for small, cheap lighting.

I took everyones advise and spent the money today for 2 different compact flourescennt lights one for grow and one for bloom, right now the sprout looks to be in pretty decent shape, it is about 3 inches tall now and looks to be healthy, the one for growing is a 125 watt putting out 10,500 lumens and color temp is 6,400 kelvin, should I still be putting this light that close to the sprout or should I put it back to about 3 1/2 ft away?

It also says that it is low heat and can be put close to plants.

All flourescent lights go about 3-4 inches above plants. MH/HPS lights generally about 6-12 inches above plants, unless heat is a concern due to poor air handling, then lift the lights till the heat is gone. You want to be able to hold your hand above the plants and if your hand feels hot, then the plant feels too hot too!

Again with the picture suggestion, you'll get way better advice with photos.