Tropical Fish Keeping - Aquarium fish care and resources

Tropical Fish Keeping - Aquarium fish care and resources (http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/)

- Freshwater Aquarium (http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/freshwater-aquarium/)

- - small tanks (http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/freshwater-aquarium/small-tanks-12790/)

as aperson with limited space for tanks it has come to my attention that the only way that i am going to have a nice looking tank is to set up a small tank.
i have started this process but have run out of ideas my tank has 5 barbs of varying varietys a java fern and a ceramic log.
the gravel is of a low grade course aquarium gravel.
could anyone make any suggestions as to what plants and other fish species might be compatible with the fish i already have?
ps my tank is of the dimensions 36*26*30

Is that cm or inches? If it is inches I only wish I had a tank that big. If it is in cm then I owuldn't add anyhting at all. Too small for more fish.