live plants for beginners?

if you have the standard lighting that kits get, you can grow low light requirement plants. Those plants are crypts, marimo balls, and java moss. Swords require more light. Java fern might be good for low light tanks, but I've never had luck with them. Oh, and if you can get some brazillian pennywort, that stuff is great too.

I've heard that Java Moss and Java Ferns are very easy and thrive with practically no extra care. I've never had live plants though either, but I was thinking about Java Fern...

I think I read that Java Fern doesn't need any extra fertilization, but they do like lower light.

Java Moss is really easy too, or so I've heard, and has the same requirements as Java Ferns, but Java Moss gives me pause, because I think fish like to breed in it, and I never wanted babies, so if you don't want babies either, I would maybe stay away from it if your fish aren't too hard to breed anyway.

I know I probably didn't help much, but hopefully I gave you a couple plants to look into :)

Well... Honestly theres alot more to plant keeping than one can answer on yahoo answers. For something this specific I suggest joining Plantedtank.net

I did, and I am so happy I did.

Theres hundred of methods and thousands of fish and plants. It can get confusing.

But heres some basics.

Lighting, theres tons of lighting options and they all meet different needs. Yous is a 10 gallon you say?

I'm willing to bet it came with either one or two screw in incandescent bulbs. Or a single long tube.

If its the screw in type I recommend you replace it with a higher output bulbs in the correct spectrum.

Plants grow best between 5,000k and 10,000k. the general guideline is 6,500 - 6,700 k.

The k refers to the colour of the light. The lower you go the more yellow it becomes, the higher you go the more blue it becomes.

So mix and match as you please.

How many bulbs you have and what type greatly changes what plants you can keep.

If you have the screw in type bulbs they sell these at petco. Awesome bulbs. Go get enough to fit in your sockets. http://www.petco.com/product/111943/Zoo-Med-Ultra-...

If its a tube just looks for one with the right kelvin rating.

Now that you have the right light you want some plants. Joining planted tank will open your eyes to a whole world of styles, plants, fish. shrimp.

But there are a few known beginner plants.

All of these are low light, and low care.

Mosses and pellia's. Mosses are great lowlight plants that can be attached to any decoration. They have two quirks. They need to be tied down or glue to wood, rocks, or decorations with thread or super glue (super glue is fish safe in case you didn't know), and they need lower temps. Anything above 78 and they start to brown and die. Types to consider are flame, willow, weeping, peacock, mini rose, subwassertang, mini pellia, fissidens, and christmas moss.

Anubias and java ferns. There are many types of each of these species. Their quirk is that they cannot be planted. But must have their roots attached to decorations like moss. My favorite types are anubias nana petite, and java fern windelov.

Vals, crypts, and swords are also good low light low care choices. Opposite of the others, these plants are heavy root feeders, and require a fertile substrate. This can be achieved either through some sort of soil capped with sand or gravel, or the addition of aquatic fertilizing root tabs.

There are a few sure fire stem plants. These plants can be planted or left floating. Their main nutrient source is in the water column so their roots are mainly for support. This includes water sprite, water wisteria, or elodea.

And lastly theres floaters. Whihc floaat on the top of the water. These include dwarf water lettuce, red root floaters, frog bit, and salvinia minima.

Again plantedtank is a great site. There have an SnS section where members trade and sell all sorts of plants and creatures at great deals.

Goodluck!!

should be good.