Acropora Care Guide: Light, Flow, and Chemistry for Success

Acropora are the pinnacle of reef keeping. They demand pristine water and stable parameters but reward keepers with stunning growth and color.\n\nWater Parameters:\n- Alkalinity: 7.5-8.5 dKH (consistency is king)\n- Calcium: 420-450 ppm\n- Magnesium: 1300-1400 ppm\n- Nitrate: 1-5 ppm (not zero—corals need nutrients)\n- Phosphate: 0.01-0.05 ppm\n- Salinity: 1.025-1.026 SG\n\nLighting:\n- PAR: 250-400 at coral surface\n- Spectrum: Heavy blue (420-480nm) with some white\n- Photoperiod: 10-12 hours with ramp up/down\n- Acclimate new frags at lower position, move up gradually\n\nFlow:\n- Strong, random flow is essential\n- Gyre or wavemaker patterns work best\n- Polyps should sway but not be blasted flat\n- Dead spots cause tissue necrosis (RTN/STN)\n\nCommon issues:\n- RTN (Rapid Tissue Necrosis): Sudden white skeleton, often from alkalinity swings\n- STN (Slow Tissue Necrosis): Gradual tissue loss from base up\n- Browning out: Insufficient light or excessive nutrients\n- Bleaching: Excessive light, temperature, or stress