Newts for beginner

Hi all! I'm considering getting some newts to add to my herp collection, and had a few questions. I'm looking for a somewhat long-lived species that's easy to care for. I plan to have a naturalistic setup in a 20 gal aquarium. What species should I keep an eye out for, and can you provide me with info on keeping the species (substrate, how many can be kept in a 20gal tank, plants, etc). Thanks in advance!

When kept correctly all newts are long lived (>20y).
What kind of species you'd like is a matter of taste but Cynops species are good starters.
On http://www.caudata.org/cc/index.shtml you can find almost all the info you'll need.

One thing is very important. Buy captive bred animals and not wild caught. This is not only for environmental reasons but wild animals tend to be weakened and infected by parasites while captive bred are healthy animals much easier to take care of.

Two other things to consider in choosing a species: how much land area do you want to provide (i.e., would you like a fully-aquatic animal, or one that spends some time on land)? And what temperature range do you expect to be able to provide? You are in a hot-weather zone, so keeping a tank cool enough for certain species may be a challenge.

I'd like an animal that spends some time on land, and as far at temperature...I know I can keep a steady 68 degrees...warmer if for whatever reason necessary.

68 degrees is perfect for most sp.

i live in england, and id like to try newts
ive got tiger salamanders, and axolotls, and ive got loads of tanks, and id like to try local spacies.
are great crested newts a good choice?

Alex, I'm going to assume you are not joking here. Great crested newts are heavily protected in the UK and it is illegal to touch them or disturb them. So... no, not a good choice.

I suggest keeping your eye out for Fire Belly Newts.

The indigenous Crested newts are illegal but the other crested newt species are not (T. dobrogicus, T. carnifex and T. karelinii) These are a good alternative.
But Cynops are also a good option.

oops, sorry, i didnt know that, i just knew that they were beautiful species that lived in britain.
i know about the fire belly newts, so ok, il give that a go, im just glad i asked here first, coz i could have got into a load of trouble!