Gravel Gurus?

[Michael Batts <Michael at whatisdat_com>]

All who consider themselves Gravel Gurus:

I have been lurking, reading, and learning. (I love this forum, there are
lots of intelligent folks here!)  I have been in the aquarium hobby
primarily as a Cichlid keeper for most of my 40 years.  I have recently
gotten the "Planted Tank Bug" and am looking forward to setting up my first
tank.  I think I have most of my startup quandaries resolved except that of
gravel and/or substrate.  I really don't want to try to start-off with some
extravagant soil mixture but would rather stick to plain old aquarium
gravel.  Will this work?

Here are my current plans for the tank:

45 gallon bow-front tank
Internal Box BIO Filter mounted inside of tank (hey, it sounded like a good
idea when I bought it) <smyle>
Magnum 350 Canister Filter
Lighting - 200-250 watts (12 hpd)
Pressurized Co2 (m3 dx w/ph controller)
Some easy plants ei: Hygrophila corymbosa, Val Spiralis, Microsorum
Pteropus, Java Moss, Asian stuff, etc...
(I have always liked to stay as geographically realistic as possible with my
fish and their surroundings)
I Planning on fertilizing this tank w/Tropica Master Grow

I was looking at Toms pix at
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=776024&uid=536313&members
and noticed that he seems to use a rather course gravel.  I have been
reading and looking at others pictures and had gotten used to the idea that
most folks use rather fine gravel.  Can someone please give me some advice
as to just what size and type of gravel to use? Please be descriptive
regarding size cause I cannot for the life of me get a good grasp on what a
3-5mm stone looks like <smyle>.

BTW: If anyone sees something wrong with anything else in my startup plan
please don't hesitate to correct me!

Thanx!!
Michael
michael at whatisdat_com