Acropora echinata
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Acropora echinata SPS Coral
The A. echinata is a species of Acropora that vary from different shades of white, blue, green and purple. Like most other SPS Coral, they require a well established reef aquarium in order to thrive along with strong lighting.
This coral does best with high lighting and strong intermittent water flow. In order to keep their bright colors, it's best to keep them under Metal Halide or any other High Intensity lighting. Other lighting such as T-5 may suffice, though it is not recommended, and if used the coral should be placed very high in the tank to maximize light reception.
SPS such as these maintain good growth rates when they are in a tank which maintains good alkalinity and calcium levels with little to no phosphates and nitrates. Water quality is important for the growth of SPS and they should only be kept in tanks which can provide this, otherwise they will not only show little to no growth, but they may also die off eventually.
This coral receives a majority of it's nutrients from photosynthesis, as they contain the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae, a photosynthetic algae living symbiotically within it. Although it is photosynthetic, it is still beneficial to have an addition of brine shrimp, microplankton, phytoplankton, and other filter feeding foods designed for filter feeders added to your reef tank. As their nutrients are received mainly by light, it is important to have adequate lighting to your reef tank in order to exhibit good growth for the coral.
The addition of Calcium, Strontium, Iodine and other trace elements to the water is beneficial to this coral.
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