Freshwater Shrimps – Scuds – Gammarus pulex

I’m thinking about buying 3 dwarf puffers; 2 females and 1 male according to the gender limit. They’re freshwater fish, and I’m going to have them in a 5 gallon tank with fake plants and maybe 2 amano shrimps to eat/clean up leftover food and stuff on the bottom of the tank. I really need to know the fastest way to cycle a 5 gallon aquarium, and cheap too. (I’m an impatient person and I’d really like to experience my first time with raising fish during my spring break.) I really need someone to go over the process with me thoroughly, because the way people explain it over the internet makes it seem that they expect me to be a professional at it, so they use this little science words like PH 5.0 or something blah blah blah. Sorry if I seem like an idiot, but I’m a 100% first-timer at raising my own fish, so any extra beginners tips would be highly appreciated!
Oh and btw, what should I put at the bottom of the tank? Gravel? Sand? Nothing?