Hi there I have been fish keeping for around a year now and need some help setting up my first planted tank, I have had plants in my tank but never noticed great amount of growth.

these are the specifications of my tank;

36X12X12'

Filter Aqua clear 30 - (Upgrading soon)

Air pump

24W x 2 T5 HO Lights

Fish- 1 Neon Tetra, 2Albino,2Bronze Cory catfish

Substrate- Moler clay Kitty litter

These are the plants that I will be getting;

Red Tiger Lotus

5 x Echinodorus Tennellus
5 x Hygrophilia Polysperma
5 x Red Ludwigia
5 x Ambulia Aquatica
5 x Bacopa Monniera
5 x Red Ivy
5 x Diplis Diandra
5 x Vallis Torta
5 x Elodea Densa
5 x Hairgrass
5 x Bacopa Caroliniana
5 x Pygmy Chain Sword
5 x Cabomba Aquatica
5 x Vallis Corkscrew sml
5 x Crypt Lucens
5 x Water Wisteria
5 x Crypt Ciliata
5 x Creeping Jenny
5 x Sagittaria Subulata

I do not wish to dirt my tank as had previously dirted my tank and all my plants wore covered in algae by the end of the week so had to be thrown away, I need advice on arrangement of plants, I am going to give my neon tetra away and maybe my cory catfish so I need advice on what to stock the aquarium with, I also have a very large piece of wood which I am trying to break into smaller pieces but having no luck in currently covers 1/3 of my aquarium. I also have a huge amount of playsand available if that comes into any use. 

I appreciate your answers if you need to know anything else about the tank just ask and I will answer asap

Thanks.