55 Gallon Planted Community HELP

[mbooth9]

I will be buying another 55 gallon tank in the next couple of days and want a peaceful, planted tank. I currently have an Oscar tank so I am looking at getting into a more peaceful community tank.
I have never done a planted tank before so I am just curious to what I will need to start this tank. I am in no rush to get this tank started and I want to do it right. My question is: What exactly will I need to keep a 55 gallon planted community tank healthy?
I know I will need the obvious:
Heater
Filter
Light
but past that I am clueless

Also if someone could help me put together a stock list that would be awesome. I was thinking something like this:
10-12 Cory Cats (some panda some peppered)
20 cardinal tetras
20 rummynose tetras
20 celestial pearl danios
10 cherry red shrimp
Any suggestions to that list?

What substrate/plants should I look into getting for this tank.

Thanks for the help

 

[pelphrey]

Pick up some flourish root tabs, you'll more than likely need them. You'll get a lot of opinions on substrates. I haven't planted it yet but I have a 20 tall with black flora max in it. It washed easily. I believe it says you don't need to wash it but I did anyway. Just got my black flourite in the mail yesterday. I haven't washed it yet, but from what I've read its a real pain. The flourite will be going in a 20 long. I wanted 2 different substrates so I could test them out and know for the future. Almost went eco complete but decided flourite in the end. I have a few plants right now planted in the pool filter sand in my 55 (root tabs). I'll probably pick up a package deal of plants from ebay once I get the 20 long substrate in.

Probably not much help. The flourite was 20 dollars I think off dr foster and smiths website. The eco complete was 24-26 I think. I bought the flora max from petsmart for 18.

 

[Huro]

If you are planning on adding cherry shrimp then I imagine you will be adding plants that will require Co2 so you may want to look into that as well. I have eco complete in my tank and love it but as pelphrey pointed out it is really a matter of preference on your part.

 

[bettaowner]

If you get plants like rotala, I wouldn't get shrimp because most rotala need copper to keep their red coloration. Shrimp can be killed by copper in the water.