Wood: I've always put mine straight in, there shouldn't really be a problem with it unless the water is polluted..
oak leaves not sure, never tried them
plecos ottos and loaches plecos aren't the best algae eaters, bristlenose are fine but I believe they become lazy as they grow bigger (15cm max I think), ottos are a good bet, but if you do some research You'll prbably find that they can sometimes die for no reason, so thats a risk but they aren't super expensive. Hillstream loach, if its the same thing as I have (labelled borneo sucker) it shouldn't grow more than 3-4cm, well mine hasn't anyway and it is fine living in 29* water.
cycling imo, overated. :lol: but thats just me.