Deep Sand Beds

looking for peoples experiences concerning the Deep Sand Bed.

problems i've heard presented are nutrient buildup and fears of Hydrogen Sulfide.
i'm aware of those concerns.

internet and forum searches for info and possible problems have reached a dead end culminating in the above mentioned concerns about why they are not a good thing to use in an aquarium (any aquarium - freshwater and saltwater)

waiting for the new year when finances are again available (welcome to Christmas expenses)

asking ahead of time so i can get an idea what problems to expect and what can be done to resolve those issues.

curiosities i've got
-sand grain size ?
-sand depth ?
-how long it's been running (how long before it failed) ?
-any spikes in ammonia/nitrate/nitrite ?
-(for those that failed) guesses, observations, symptoms, smells going on when it failed, even those that don't seem relevant ?
-any critters in the substrate (if present/used) ?

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everything i've encountered about why a deep sand bed should not be done are given the same argument: concerns about Hydrogen Sulfide.

i'm aware of how toxic this gas is in the aquarium. it's one concern. a concern that, as much as i can find, can be neutralized. a concern that has been brought up by people who do not talk about what they were using in their substrate (above questions)

glenn, i know, ... those who deal with plants in their tanks (freshwater) (i asked in both sections) due to functions of the plant roots there is no concern for H2S as well.

after scouring the net for months i've kinda run into a bit of a road-block for learning more. all i can do is ask people who set up their own what they had done, the setup they had, what critters, if any, how long it lasted, what was it's demise if they know.

search as i might, those are things i haven't come across other than the general "this is how to do it" covers the basics, covers theories, covers expectations, ... but does not talk about experiences.