Water surface movement is basically all about how the filter moves it - where the outflow from the filter is pointing. You can point it up or you can point it more down... depends on what you want to do.
I would add the plants now, let the tank settle, as planting can make a little mess of substrate and debris, add one more dose of ammonia and if clears all ammonia in similar time, 24 hours or less, you're cycled then do a BIG water change, as much as possible, you're done
Finally, add fish
BTW sorry, no time for going into chat, going to cinema to wat Secret Life of Pets