Liquid is great for stem plants. With sand I would suggest root tabs for swords and other root heavy plants.
Mine is pretty low tech. Sand with a sword, anubias, horn wort, anacharis, and money wort in one tank then gravel and the same plants plus dwarf sag and some Val's
I do root tabs under the money, and the swords. (They last for 3-4 months seachem) and then I use flourish and flourish excel.
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