Setting up a brackish tank

[stanleo]

Has anyone done this? I have been researching and everything says to use dechlorinated tap water but I am wondering if using RO water would be better like it would be for saltwater tanks.

Also, anyone who has done this, what plants have you had success with? I have read that java fern and java moss does well but I also read that anubias plants can also survive.

 

[ichthyogeek]

RO water works better for saltwater tanks because the invertebrates (corals, etc.) are sensitive to things we find in tap water a lot (ex. copper, lead, tungsten, etc.). If you plan on keeping fish, then you're probably okay with using tap, but if you plan on keeping inverts, then that's when you start considering if it's better to use RO water.

For plants, it's dependent on what specific gravity you're aiming for. The higher you go, the less plant species will be able to adapt. I believe that Java ferns can really only go up to 1.012 or so before they can't handle the salt anymore. If you're keeping it at 1.005 or below, many hard water plants (Vallisneria for example) might also be worth looking into.