Another newbie here. I don't have a tank set up yet, but I'm hoping to get my 50 gal set up in the next couple of months. I want to do a planted tank with soil without CO2 if possible (I think it is).
Welcome to AA! It sounds like you have a good idea on what type of setup you want! Do you plan on doing a fishless cycle or fish in cycle? I recommend fishless, as it doesn't harm any fish, but I have done both before successfully. There are plenty of articles/threads on the topic, which I'm sure you'll be able to find. If not, let us know and we can direct you in the right direction