Red Planet Acropora

Red Planet is one of those classic tabling acros that rewards good husbandry with a neon-green base and ruby red tips. It behaves like a polite dragon: fiery, but reasonable if you treat it right.

Lighting

Red Planet thrives under strong light. Around 250 to 350 PAR is the sweet spot. Too dim and the color washes into dull orange. Too bright and it may thicken up but lose that bright green base. A stable spectrum is more important than chasing numbers.

Flow

It enjoys turbulent, high flow that rocks the polyps but doesn’t blast tissue. Think of water that constantly “changes its mind,” not a firehose. High flow keeps its plating growth clean and prevents detritus buildup in the shelves as it tables out.

Placement

Mid to high. Give it space to table horizontally. It can eventually shade itself if tucked under a stronger acro. Also avoid placing near aggressive sweepers; Red Planet isn’t a fighter and will lose to torches or favias.

Water parameters

SPS stability rules apply. You want calm numbers.

Calcium around 420.
Alkalinity around 8 to 8.5.
Magnesium around 1350.
Nitrate around 5 to 15.
Phosphate around 0.05 to 0.1.

It doesn’t enjoy ultra-low nutrients; color fades and growth slows. Keep a steady nutrient trickle, like a reef metabolism that never quite sleeps.

Growth behavior

It grows a green crust and builds upward into red tips. The more mature the colony, the more dramatic the color split. Fragging is easy due to the stiff, branching plates. Keep the base clean so it doesn’t become a detritus trap.

Feeding

Not picky. Good light is the main driver. Occasional amino acids or coral foods can help maintain deeper coloration, but overfeeding just fuels algae. Small, consistent nutrient inputs work better than big meals.

Pests and stress

Acropora eating flatworms and red bugs will ruin its day. Dip new frags aggressively and quarantine if possible. Red Planet is hardy for an acro, but still reacts quickly to alkalinity swings. Stability is the force that keeps the dragon calm.

Ideal system type

It shines in mixed reefs with strong lighting or full SPS systems. It’s fast enough to be satisfying but not so fast it becomes a weed.