Sapphire Ridge Acropora (Acropora sp.)
The Sapphire Ridge Acropora is a striking SPS coral with chunky branching growth, deep blue tones, and subtle green highlights around the growth tips and corallites. Under blue reef lighting, it displays a cool, electric appearance with glowing edges that give the coral excellent depth and contrast.
 
Key Information
Type: SPS Coral
Care Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Lighting: High
Flow: Medium to High
Placement: Upper reef
 
Description
This Acropora forms thick, upright branches with rounded tips and a smooth, sculpted structure. The branches show a deep blue to blue-purple appearance under reef lighting, with brighter highlights along the edges and around the tips.
As it matures, the Sapphire Ridge Acropora develops into a compact, multi-branch colony with strong visual impact. The combination of cool blue tissue, rounded branch formation, and small green accents gives it a bold but refined appearance, making it a standout piece in an SPS-focused reef aquarium.
 
Water Parameters
Temperature: 24–26°C
Salinity: 1.025
Alkalinity: 7.5–9 dKH
Calcium: 400–450 ppm
 
Feeding
Primarily photosynthetic, but may benefit from occasional supplemental feeding, including:
Amino acids
Fine particulate coral foods
Broadcast coral feeding
 
Compatibility
Reef safe. Allow space from neighbouring corals to prevent shading, crowding, and competition as the colony grows.
 
Notes
Best suited to mature, stable reef aquariums with strong lighting and consistent water parameters. Like most Acropora, the Sapphire Ridge Acropora is sensitive to sudden changes in alkalinity, nutrients, lighting, and flow, but will reward stable care with strong colouration, growth, and polyp extension.
 
Photography Notes
Photo taken using an iPhone with a macro lens under approximately 30% blue lighting using a Reef Bar.