A light timer is also extremely helpful for making sure your plants get a consistent amount of light every day and preventing algae growth.
For lighting, there are many, many options to choose from, so in general, we recommend that beginners go with a planted LED light because they are designed to provide the optimal spectrums and PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation) levels for growing aquarium plants. The Easy Plant LED is our personal favorite because of its solid performance and great value for low to high light plants, but for more information, read our article on how to pick the best planted aquarium light for your specific needs. A light timer is also extremely helpful for making sure your plants get a consistent amount of light every day and preventing algae growth.