Help!

We gonna need more info than that, what plants you tried and what kind of bulb you have in there. Looks like you have a sword in there now it will get way to big for that size tank. For the sword you can add some root tabs they are root feeders. Just my 2 cent.

That is an older photo. IM planning on removing ALL of the plants since they decided to melt on me. I'm starting from scratch!
Main questions:

- What substrate?
- have always used a mix of playsand and gravel.
- Plan suggestions?
-Lighting fixes for the Eclipse?
-Ferts?

I'd suggest Eco Complete.

For that size tank CF light would work well. Does the Eclipse hood use screw-in incandescent bulbs? What lighting is on the tank now (bulb type and wattage)?

If you got low light plants you could grow those maybe without dosing ferts at all or maybe just once or twice a week.

I put aponogeton bulbs in my 10 gallon tank that only has gravel as a substrate and they are growing quite well. You could put a couple of those in there. They will sprout in a week or two and turn into nice looking plants.

What kind of plants melted? For some of these its normal when you put them in a new tank. Especially crypts.

it sounds like you don't have enough light. you might have to retrofit a light in your canopy... it's not easy to do and tricky. i wouldn't use ferts at all in such a small tank at all, waste of money really. any gravel will work, the plants just need something to anchor.

Well, your light will only sustain moss, ferns, anubias, and crypts. I prefer Scotts top soil, approx. $3, topped with river sand, $3. Then dose with Seachem Flourish, for ferts in substrate last 6 to 12 months. A 250ml bottle will last you approx. a year dosing 5ml weekly. It is $8.37 here, including shipping.

Have you had your water tested at pet store?