Best Sands And Plants To Buy?

[ItsBradleyy]

I have a 38 gallon fish tank currently with gravel
 
I want to move to sand as its more prettier and natural in my opinion but what sand is the best to buy like what types can you buy and how do you maintain it to avoid algae to grow on it
 
also I have a plant tied on drift wood that i purchased from a pet store over a month ago but everytime i move it or need to do something in my tank i find loads of tiny pieces of the plant flloating round the tank and if i move it it just somewhat has loads of little pieces of leafs flaoting around
 
the leaves also have some type of brown mossy coat over them and the leaves are a very dark colour and a few parts have brown edges
 
I would like to know how to maintain plants and how i can grow them and avoid them messing up my tank and dying 

 

[sawickib]

Well pretty much any aquarium sand works, and some cheap things you could get is pool filter sand, or playsand, its very easy to maintain all sands. Not sure on the rest though sorry.

 

[Ninjouzata]

Whichever kind you like. As has been said pool filter sand or playsand is cheaper.
 
To clean the sand you hover the siphon over it and make a swirling motion. This causes the poo to get kicked up the siphon.
 
Do you mean you keep moving the driftwood or the plant itself? Do you know what plant it is?
I'm guessing an anubias or java fern since you have it tied to D/W.  Can you get a picture? This will help ID it and hopefully the type of algae on it.