Who Gives A Fish Forums

I'm still learning the ropes with cichlids, so any tips would be awesome. I've heard crushed coral is a popular choice for substrate - can you grow plants in it though? What about using sand in a cichlid setup - is that a no-go? I'm curious to know what substrates you guys are using, and has anyone successfully kept a planted cichlid tank?

From what I know, they tend to eat and destroy plants.