There are still a LOT of people who know what they are doing, but they just do not post except to occasionally sell their corals and maybe on a super-specific issue like disease or something. If you ever get invited to a private forum, FB group, or the like, then do it... these are teeming with experts helping experts and you can learn so much (as well as have access to all of the best frags).
In any case, if if anybody is considering sand in a build, feel free to PM or link me and I will help if you want it. I think that it is a tremendous idea if you will just do maintenance in three or four years and if you have patience to wait through a few ugly months. You will receive more than you give with a sand bed.
There is a link in my signature to a tank that I started in May. It has the three legs to a strong table (sand, rock and light). It does have easy corals since they grow fast and I only have a year, but I document the ugly phases and they are over now and the tank is starting to get crystal clear and beautiful. There are photos of more difficult corals in my flickr album.
Yea I had invites to a private forum a while back but did not take it. It was a SPS forum I think mainly. I wish I would have just to have another outlet. I miss fishnet with allot of the more experienced people back in the day. Man those debates were huge.
I am not a fan of the word expert for myself. I like to think more of advanced and experienced reefer. 30 + years reefing and still learning.