Description
Acropora come in several kinds of growth forms. This particular Acropora grows outward, horizontal tables with short branches protruding from the base. The Red Planet Acropora from ORA has a yellow-green base with red and pink branches, red polyps, and white or soft pink growth tips.
Acropora are the most common coral in the ocean. They are mostly found in the Indo-Pacific, but they can be found in several other regions of the world as well. This Red Planet Acropora is aquacultured by ORA. Instead of being collected from the ocean, this coral is grown in aquariums and then fragged to be sold to hobbyists such as yourself.
Acropora are usually best for mature aquariums and experienced hobbyists. That’s not to say a newer hobbyists can’t keep Acropora successfully with some practice and knowledge. In case you’re unfamiliar with keeping Acropora, here you will find all the basic care requirements to keep this coral successfully.
Acropora require intense lighting with a full color spectrum. Proving proper lighting is important because it is one of the largest factors determining the coloration of the coral. Acropora often change colors under different kinds of lighting and different intensities. Usually, they prefer about 200-300 micromoles of PAR. For this Red Planet Acro, very intense lighting will cause the green coloration to fade, but it will become more apparent under more moderate lighting. It is incredibly important to properly acclimate Acropora to high light by starting them in more moderate light and slowly moving them into higher light.
For flow, Acropora require strong, turbulent water flow. It would take a lot, more than most common aquarium equipment can output, to give Acropora too much flow. Flow is important because it keeps the coral clean, which is especially important for tabling Acropora. Water movement also gives the coral access to nutrients and base elements. Ideally, the flow should be irregular and random to avoid dead spots and to promote proper growth.
Acropora are particularly sensitive to water chemistry. They require consistent elevated levels of calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium, which can be difficult if you have lots of fast growing corals. You need to be able to keep these levels as stable as possible. This often requires the use of a calcium reactor, dosing, or kalkwasser. These methods are extremely effective, but they take knowledge and experience to be used correctly.
As for water quality, Acropora require clean water and low nutrient levels. Hobbyists will argue over the exact parameters that are best, but generally a good range to shoot for is 1-5 ppm of nitrates and phosphates as close to 0.01 ppm as possible but not 0. For temperature, keep it between 72-78 degrees Fahrenheit and stable.
Finally, let’s discuss feeding. Acropora are considered photosynthetic, and because of this, they don’t require feeding. However, spot feeding or dosing live phytoplankton or similarly sized foods can bring out better colors and faster growth.
Care requirements
Purchase Size: 1 – 2″
Placement: Avoid placing this coral above other corals, as it may shade them as it grows.
Lighting: Medium to high.
Flow: Moderate to strong.
Parameters: 72-78° F, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity 32-35 ppt
Calcium: 350-450 ppm
Alkalinity: 8-12 dKH
Magnesium: 1,250-1,350 ppm
More Information
Aquacultured corals such as this Red Planet Acropora from ORA are better adapted to aquarium life and are overall hardier than coral collected from the ocean. They are also far less likely to carry pests and disease, though you should still dip and/or quarantine them to be safe. To top it off, aquacultured corals are more sustainable and environmentally friendly!
