I wouldn't use CC, but I prefer to use substrate, not just because it looks better, but because many Scorpaeniformes require some substrate to be comfy, since many are bottom dwellers. We use #3 grade aragonite for the most part, altho we have a few setups with #1 grade which is a bit finer in them.
As for plants, you could go with C. prolifera for a green macro that's easy to deal with. A good red is Botryocladia, which grows slowly, but becomes a deep red in dimmer lighting (it will actually bleach/brown-out in super bright lighting). Sargassum is a kelp that is a golden-tan color, that does well under bright conditions.
If that radiata is indeed an "Asian" fish, it will likely have come from the Ryuku Islands, and will do best if kept a tad on the cooler side (mid-70's F). $75 is a decent price for a fish that size. However, P. radiata is a bit more touchy than many lionfish and often don't ship well (I personally believe the Red Sea and S. African specimens are the reason for this reputation tho). In the wild, P. radiata feeds mainly on crustaceans, so getting it started on ghost shrimp or small crabs is a good way to get it eating. IME, they are good strong feeders, but aren't what I'd call aggressive feeders, so consider that when selecting tankmates if you decide to keep one. Our P. sphex and dwarf fuzzy pair would outcompete this fish if we allowed them to do so (it takes both of us to feed that tank so the slower feeders can get their share).
