If you hv the budget, try to get the ADA soil. Price is depend on yr tank size. Bigger tank need more...of coz.

The budget type of soil is holland sand. most of the lfs selling it. Just tell them you want..."ho lan sah" in Cantonese.

To make the plants grow, you need base fertilizer and some plants need liquid fertilizer. Beside that, lighting and CO2 (carbon dioxide) needed for plants to run the photosynthesis.