Sand vs gravel and plant advice

[Chiclid addict]

So I have a 55g I need to tear down and sanitize but I think I’m gonna take this opportunity to re do the whole tank right now there’s about a 70/30 mix of sand to gravel but I want to know the pros and cons also if anyone would like to give advise these are the plants I want to put in 4x dwarf Sagittaria, 2x scarlet temple, 2x red Mellon and 2x Amazon sword, stocking will be 6x discus, 4x blue rams, 4x rili shrimp, 1x normal pleco(will be removed eventually when he outgrows the tank)

[ADMWNDSR83]

In my 37 gallon, I have strictly black diamond blasting sand.  With occasional fertilizing (not nearly as much as I probably should do), I have a bigger Amazon sword than I've ever seen, and my dwarf sag has spread so densely over the floor that it's tough to find my cories sometimes.  I have sand in all of my tanks, mixed with some planted substrate in two and Aragonite sand mixed with some small gravel in another (which is not planted due to the inhabitants).  My tank with strictly sand has my best plant growth by far.

[Mmiller2001]

Those plants you mention will grow fine in either choice. 

I'm using Eco Complete and hate it. I will be trying BDBS when I redo my 40 here shortly. I hear it's easy to plant in. That sells me!

[Bev C]

 I had all Black diamond sand before I started with  plants. I   wanted to use it, so  when I started with plants  I took sand out. Added some  Seachem's fluorite sand on the bottom. And then added the black diamond sand back on top of the fluorite sand.   I use Easy Green Root Tabs and  Easy Green liquid. Both I have  Crypt Spirals  and Crypts that is root feeders, and they do better with both Easy Green liquid and tabs. I can not have Amazon sword  my bristolnose pelco eats the swords  if you use sand and have plants that is root feeders you might have to added root tabs along with liquid fertilizer .