hi people... this is my second post!

heres the situation:

i originally had this fish count in my newly bought 55 gallon long fish tank with 2 filter.. a aqua clear 110 and a fluval 305 with pebble gravel and some soil substrate underneath.

10 neon tetras
3 black mollies
2 gold mollies
3 sunset or sunburst platies
3 rainbow fish (not regular ones don't know the orig name but looks very much like a ornate rainbow..)
1 bala shark
1 albino rainbow shark
1 german blue balloon ram
5 glass cat fish
5 baby SAE'S

Ok, so the story starts here with me being concerned that the fallen fish food potential will be a ticking time bomb, and although its good to have plants in the tank with soil the pebbles (not being easy to navigate through with my fish... and just in general, would, make more sense to have a FLAT surfaced tank with all soil!!!


ok, pretty costly idea let me tell you.

i bought 3 bags of different kinda of substrate as i was told for increased nutrients.. and lost 5 fish during this process.. specifically when i had my fish in a bucket they one being my albino shark ended up under my couch, I JUST FOUND HIM!!! :( my balla shark died few days before that was i guess just random.. and than 4 SAE's that were babies apparently got stuck to the intake (which i couldn't even see till the next day because of the water being so dark..and me not waiting long enough...

SO, all in all I'm left with less fish than i started, which i know to some might think is a good thing ...? (due to my current fish population..) and also I'm left with a substrate of less than 3 inches!!! my plants WONT HOLD PROPERLY.. but are okay for now.. the substrate purchase by itself was 115 for 3 bags.

-this is my current stock now:

10 neon tetras
3 black mollies
1 gold mollies
3 sunset or sunburst platies
3 rainbow fish (not regular ones don't know the orig name but looks very much like a ornate rainbow..)
1 german blue balloon ram
5 glass cat fish

please direct me now of what to do this is my current fish stock now, with a few baby plants i don't even remember what there called... ( they came with the tank mostly) AND my questions...

what should i look out for???
what should i do???
what plants with this tank and stock would YOU recommend???

I REALLY want to have a nice planted tank, but at the same time don't want to entertain any explosive mishaps so to speak, as i am still a beginner and bought this tank from craigslist to upgrade from my 36 bow front that i returned that had NO PLANTS AND JUST WHITE SAND-

your input is appreciated!!!!

BEST.

How long has the tank been set up, and how long have the fish been in the tank? if you bought the tank and immediately added fish it wasnt cycled. Have you tested your ammonia/nitrite/nitrate readings? what are they?

__________________
"Being ignorant is not so much a Shame, as being unwilling to learn".-- Benjamin Franklin

What is the current situation of the tank? Is it still extremely cloudy? What substrate did you buy? Did it get rinsed well if it was required?