I don't have the dedication for such high maintenance systems either. That 140 was started with the left overs from my 33G. and I slowly filled it in by repeatedly striking cuttings. If that's the route you go add fast growing plants like elodea and water sprite to start (they will help out compete the microalgae) and then remove them as the slower growing plants fill in.
Also, if your focus is the plants consider a no or low fishload. My biggest headache was excess fishwaste. Next time I am only going to add working stock like oto cats and rosy barbs if needed.
The crushed granite is sold as chicken grit. I've bought it at Buckerfields and Del's farm supply in Abbotsford. I wouldn't have thought of it either but I am a cheapskate and always looking for a deal. A lot of my fish keeping supplies have been purchased at non fish related stores. I also don't know why it works. One theory I have is that the substrate holds the roots securely but doesn't compact and allows really good root growth (shrugs shoulders).
On that 140 tank I used 2 AC 500's but I wouldn't do that again. I found the spillway flow knocked the plants down too much. It would probably be better to go with a cannister so that one could direct the return flow away from the plants. Also with dosing CO2 one could feed the airline into the cannister intake. This would allow a lot of contact time between the CO2 bubbles and the water as it travelled through the cannister.
Personally, if I (when I) do another dedicated planted tank I would consider a closed loop circ system like this (buried in the substrate with closer spaced 1/2"pvc piping). There are 1/8th" holes drilled every inch and the flow was provided by 2 maxijet 1200's.
I built this for a 75G. reef but it was perfect for a planted tank. The flow went straight up and blew the detritus into the water column so the filter could take it. The flow was also gentle enough that it wouldn't hurt the leaves and it would keep them oriented up and down.
That aside, I think a good planted tank set up is a low flow drilled tank/sump. The only concern I would have is a wide enough overflow box so that detached plant leaves couldn't plug it.