cicatriz

hi all...

i am just setting up a 47gal tank and am already regretting the choice in substrate...

i would like for this tank to be planted one day (pending enough cash for good lighting). anyways, i REALLY like the look of 'natural' colored sand in tanks and am keen to make a change sometime over the next 2 or 3 months.

will sand work as a substrate for plants? will it require anything underneath it (like peat, soil, etc.)?

if anyone has a planted tank with sand could you please provide me with some tips as to what i should be considering before i make the switch?

as a side note i have some java fern in my 10gal tank and am getting lots of growth but no leaves (as in large shoots from the center of the plant), does this mean the plant doesnt have enough nutrients to 'build' new leaves or is it doing something different? thoughts on this would be appreciated