Planted tanks are simple. Get a 3-5" sand or gravel substrate, I prefer sand, grab a few Canadian tire 4ft t8 dual bulb shop light and plant simple to grow plants. Or drop the $ and make a good planted tankI'm not good enough for Rays, I think they're neat but not there yet in my fish keeping... Gars sound interesting...
I wish I was better at planted tanks. I'd plant the heck out of it and put in a TON of small schooling fish...