aquarium plant help !

First I would figure out how much money you want to spend on the tank. Your big money item will be your lighting. What type you get will depend on the type of plants you want to keep. If you get simple plants then you won't need to spend $250ish on a T5 fixture.

 

Commonly Available Plants And Their Requirements List

It's a short list but it's a start.

 

What smaller type fish do you like or are wanting to keep?

LIGHTING>Agree with Anthony fully, we'll need to know your total wpg of the light fixture and you'll want to go with plant type bulbs (6700K midday, 10,000K full sun, or the colormax pink bulbs which are moreso just for looks from what I was able to dig up about their spectrum range).

SUBSTRATE>Start with a good substrate, the best on the market imo is the Eco-Complete Planted Aquarium Substrate (black that looks like dirt). Doesn't alter the water's chemistry, doesn't need to be rinsed first, Does seem the benefits take about a week to kick in from my experience with it in the past (you'll notice the growth kick in). With this I'd simply add Root tabs beneath your rooted plants (like swords)...then IF YOU NEED TO add any additives you may/may not need.

ADDITIVES>Also, I seen co2 mentioned in your list...why not simply try just doing some "easy" plants BEFORE investing into co2 and/plant chemicals?
Or trying simply Seachem Flourish and Seachem/API Root tabs?

PLANTS>Some easy'ish type plants I'd recommend are the cryptocorynes (wendtii), Java Fern (tie to lava rock or driftwood for best results), Moss (moss balls are really neat and shrimp love them).

HEATER>And don't forget your heater if need be (I prefer the submersible types since you can usually hide them with a tall plant or a strategically placed piece of driftwood/slate).

FILTRATION>Unless your packing the tank with plants I'd do something like either a sponge filter or hang on back power filter with a pre-filter sponge over the intake. I've used an aqueon brand hob with a fluval prefilter sponge (cheap, effective, prefilter fits the intake perfectly, and you can pull the mfr. filter and replace it with a bag of chemi elite, purigen, or even some broken terra cotta for beneficial bacteria...quite a few possibilities here).

INHABITANTS>not to be mixed & matched, but...
Tetras (rummynose's-for 20g, glowlites, neons, hifin serpaes, & hets look great in a planted tank), guppies, a bristlenose pleco (needs driftwood or cholla to rasp), corydoras, honey dwarf gouramis, shrimp...MANY possibilities.

 

if your going with heavy root feeders such as sword types then I'd simply go with API root tabs or Seachem Root tabs (place them beneath the substrate either nearby or directly under the plants roots).

 

I myself prefer potting soil covered in pea gravel if you don't mind tannins in the water. With a small tank start out with smaller plants as they grow quickly. Dawns advise is right on the button. I would not recommend CO2 for a very small tank as it can build up quickly and kill your fish. A sword plant will fill your tank your tank in no time flat. I recommend getting cutting from others in the hobby instead of buying from a LSF as they are usually better plants and quite a bit cheaper. Be sure the plants you get are aquatic plants as some places sell non-aquatic plants and they will rot and foul your water. Hope this helps.

 

I see in the other threads you've posted that you found the plants you wanted already.
Swords, crypts, vals.

Crypts are definately the easiest imo, but be aware of crypt melt and that they will come back to their former glory of a plant.

What fishvixen (Ursi) is recommending with the potting soil is the Diana Walstead method I believe...either way you can't really go wrong.

 

I believe I told you already in one of your other posts (and in this one).
Either API Root Tabs or Seachem Flourish Tabs to be placed beneath your substrate directly under or nearby your rooted plants and Seachem Flourish is you wish.

 

yep, that's all. AND you can add other items (additive wise) if the need is there, but start simple