Cycling the tank..
I would do a fishless cycle. You can add plants right after you add water and get it to temperature. It is best to add as many plants as you can right away. They will help with the cycle.
For plants you have to decide what type of tank you want to have..
Low Tech Tank...
This is a tank where you normally wont have to add fertilizers for the plants, or C02.
The plants will survive on light, your elements in your tap water, and fish waste and food. This type of tank usually has no more than 2 wpg of light.
High Tech Tank....
You will need to dose fertilizers for the plants, even C02. This kind of tank cost more as far as setup goes for a C02 system, and how far your elbows want to go into the tank building it. These tanks normally have 2 to 3 wpg.
For starting out unless you have expericene in High tech tanks, I would stay low tech for not only cost but to make sure you have the time to devote to the tank.
Plants that do well in low tech tanks are as follows.
Swords
Anubias
Micro swords
Vals
Anacharis ( these like to soak up alot of nutrients,and can starve out other plants)
Crypt. balansae
Hygro. corymbosa 'angustifolia'
Echinodorus angustifolia 'vesuvius'
E. tennellus 'micro'
Val. nana
WaterSprite
Corkscrew Val
Wisteria
To clean your equipment...
I use White vinegear and water. Let the items you wish to clean sit in the solution for awhile depending how bad they are. I cleaned out my Submersable pump and let it soak for an hour. You may still have to srcub with water to remove all the gunk. All the vinegear and water does is soften the hard calcium depsoits up.
Fish stocking
You can get some angels but I myslef wouldnt go more than 3. Just because they do get fairly large and will outgrow your tank when they reach adult hood.
For bleeding heart tetras.
I would get a small school. Maybe some danios. There are so many otherfish you can choose form like Guppies. Platys, Mollies. ALso Cory cats would be great, they like groups so I wouldnt do any less than 4.
