Plastic Plants Or Real Plants

I've always just used plastic plants because real plants seem like so much work.
Is there plants that you can literally just plop in the tank and then not have to deal with or would I just be better off with plastic ones?
What are the benefits of real plants if any?

 

Real plants al the way. tie an anubis and java fern and java moss to your driftwood rocks or decorations. It's always good to supplement plants with some ferts but the afore mentioned plants require little to no ferts aside from fresh clean water weekly.

 

Real plants can provide food sources, more comfortable hiding spots, oxygenate the water, and act as mini- filter. Java fern is a good plant that you can just tie to rock or driftwood and forget.

 

Definently live plants as they will suck into their leaves some of your nitrates. Plastic plants will rip your fish's tail and fins, plastic plants (plastic overall) produces some toxins which are toxic to the whole environment and your little ecosystem.

 

I agree with the above. Live plants can be as simple or complex as you like.

 

Ok so just tie some java fern and java moss to some drift wood. Thank you
What would I use to tie it and will it just disintegrate or will I take it off over some time?
Also what's that plant that floats on the water, it's so livebarer fry can hide

 

Live plants take up nitrates, as I think someone else said. They also take up other elements that might otherwise be used by algae. I'm not going to try to tell you you won't have algae if you have live plants, but there's a good chance you'll have less.

Also, of course it depends on the individual, but I get almost as much satisfaction from watching the plants grow as I do watching the fish.

 

Ok so just tie some java fern and java moss to some drift wood. Thank you
What would I use to tie it and will it just disintegrate or will I take it off over some time?
Also what's that plant that floats on the water, it's so livebarer fry can hide

I'v found the easiest way to hold a non planted tank to decorations is to get some tiny elastics and attach them that way. Oncethe plants roots attach to the hardscape you can easily remove the elastic. Guppy Grass, Java Moss, water sprite and many other plants are a good floating plant for fry

 

I think it needs to be said that going planted is more of a commitment. Unless you’re using the easiest low light plants out there you may have trouble getting them to stay healthy if they don’t have enough light or nutrients. And generally if they aren’t healthy they are constantly shedding dead plant matter which needs cleaned up fairly often and can contribute to major algae outbreaks.

My advice to anyone new to the hobby (which is me) would be to decide ahead of time which way you’re going and get your plants established before adding fish so you can work out any deficiencies ahead of time.

 

Also it doesn't have to be one or the other you can mix some Java Fern in with your plastic plants. If you find that you are successful with them and enjoy growing them you can gradually replace the plastic ones with other hardy live plants.