WhistlingBadger
Professional Cat Herder
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OK. One thing that's going to confuse you on a forum like this, or any other type of on-line research, is that there are a LOT of different ways to grow plants, and all of them work to varying degrees. So, I'm going to tell you how I do it. There are other ways. Some people insist their way is the only way and the other ways are stupid. I think these people are being a bit silly. 
It's worth researching the different methods/philosophies and deciding what's right for you.
I like soil under sand for a lot of reasons, some simple, some complicated. Simply, I think soil substrates are more natural, support a more diverse community of microbes, and last a very long time. For the complicated reasons, read "Ecology and the Planted Aquarium" by Diane Walstad. Not light reading, but really fascinating if you want to get ultra-nerdy about this stuff.
So, here's how I do it. First, you need to have a good, medium-to-bright light fixture. This can be as fancy as a $100+ LED fixture, or as simple as a couple bright clip-on shop lights. I generally use the TLAR (That Looks About Right) method for choosing light fixtures; I don't know a lot about lumens and all that; maybe someone else can elaborate. If all else fails, buy an off-brand off amazon that gets good reviews for growing plants.
If you're going to put in any hardscape (driftwood, rocks) put it in first, then put the substrate in around it. It looks more natural that way, and your bottom feeders won't crush themselves when they burrow under a big rock. If you want to use wood, there are some other things you need to do.
For substrate, I use about one inch of soil capped with one inch of sand. Use an organic potting soil with no added fertilizers. I like Miracle Grow Organic or similar. For sand you can use aquarium sand from a pet store, but there are cheaper, and maybe even better, options. Play sand is readily available from hardware/home stores, and safe. I've used black blasting sand and it has always worked out well, even for cories, but others say it's dangerous, so there you go.
Once the substrate is in, I add a few inches of water, and the plants. Where to order plants? Well...amazon and ebay are often the least expensive options, but you risk introducing unwanted critters. I tend not to mind unplanned critters, myself. The Wet Spot in Portland sells really good plants. There are other dealers. If you're using java ferns, anubias, or mosses, you don't plant them in the substrate. You attach them to wood or rocks. I have found that the easiest way is to superglue them directly on right before I fill the tank.
Once the plants are in, I let everything settle for around six weeks to two months. Read up on something called "silent cycling." Again, there are other ways; this is just how I do it. It's worth testing for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates to make sure your cycle is working. By around the end of week six, the plants should be growing well, the soil chemistry/biology will have stabilized, and you should be ready to add critters to a ready-to-go, stable habitat.
That's a bit of a simplification, of course (I have to wrap this up and get the Badgerling to bed), but it's a start. If you want to approach it this way, holler with more questions.
It's worth researching the different methods/philosophies and deciding what's right for you.I like soil under sand for a lot of reasons, some simple, some complicated. Simply, I think soil substrates are more natural, support a more diverse community of microbes, and last a very long time. For the complicated reasons, read "Ecology and the Planted Aquarium" by Diane Walstad. Not light reading, but really fascinating if you want to get ultra-nerdy about this stuff.
So, here's how I do it. First, you need to have a good, medium-to-bright light fixture. This can be as fancy as a $100+ LED fixture, or as simple as a couple bright clip-on shop lights. I generally use the TLAR (That Looks About Right) method for choosing light fixtures; I don't know a lot about lumens and all that; maybe someone else can elaborate. If all else fails, buy an off-brand off amazon that gets good reviews for growing plants.
If you're going to put in any hardscape (driftwood, rocks) put it in first, then put the substrate in around it. It looks more natural that way, and your bottom feeders won't crush themselves when they burrow under a big rock. If you want to use wood, there are some other things you need to do.
For substrate, I use about one inch of soil capped with one inch of sand. Use an organic potting soil with no added fertilizers. I like Miracle Grow Organic or similar. For sand you can use aquarium sand from a pet store, but there are cheaper, and maybe even better, options. Play sand is readily available from hardware/home stores, and safe. I've used black blasting sand and it has always worked out well, even for cories, but others say it's dangerous, so there you go.
Once the substrate is in, I add a few inches of water, and the plants. Where to order plants? Well...amazon and ebay are often the least expensive options, but you risk introducing unwanted critters. I tend not to mind unplanned critters, myself. The Wet Spot in Portland sells really good plants. There are other dealers. If you're using java ferns, anubias, or mosses, you don't plant them in the substrate. You attach them to wood or rocks. I have found that the easiest way is to superglue them directly on right before I fill the tank.
Once the plants are in, I let everything settle for around six weeks to two months. Read up on something called "silent cycling." Again, there are other ways; this is just how I do it. It's worth testing for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates to make sure your cycle is working. By around the end of week six, the plants should be growing well, the soil chemistry/biology will have stabilized, and you should be ready to add critters to a ready-to-go, stable habitat.
That's a bit of a simplification, of course (I have to wrap this up and get the Badgerling to bed), but it's a start. If you want to approach it this way, holler with more questions.
