Chromium is a trace element present in small quantities in the seawater of reefs all around the world.

Chromium is used to form enzymes for fat metabolisation in cells as such may have positive impacts on coral skeleton calcification, health and coloration.

Chromium gets depleted from the water in our tanks quickly. Naturally, Chromium in seawater varies strongly and is usually between 0.2-0.6 µg/l.

Too low chromium values lead to slow growth. Chromium plays an important role in the absorption and use of fatty acids in corals.

On a scale of 1-10 (1 low, 10 high) we classify the importance of chromium supplementation a 4 and suitable for experienced reefers only.

The use of our 2 part systems like Complete or pHplus will supplement Chromium helping to maintain adequate levels over time.

It is recommended to dose Chromium continuously (as needed) in as many small doses as possible. This will ensure Chromium is present and available in the water (despite precipitation and potentially being below the ICP limit of detection).

For ease of dosing and if you wish you can dose our elements via a dosing pump mixing them together in 2 solutions.

The following Reef Zlements elements can be mixed with chromium – barium, iron, cobalt, copper, manganese, nickel and zinc.

Please note that given the different products available in the market the above only applies to Reef Zlements trace elements and that we cannot guarantee the safety of the mix with other products.

To reach the desired level of 0.50 µg/l please dose 0.03 ml of Reef Zlements Chromium per day for 28 days.

Copper is a trace element present in small quantities in the seawater of reefs all around the world.

Copper is an essential trace element that kept in small concentrations has positive impacts on coral skeleton calcification, health and colouration along being needed for multiple biological processes of corals and other organisms.

It is important to check Copper levels through ICP analysis and ensure adequate levels and stability by dosing a Copper supplement as needed.

Naturally, Copper in seawater varies but its concentration doesn’t go above 3 µg/l.

On a scale of 1-10 (1 low, 10 high) we classify the importance of copper supplementation a 5 and suitable for experienced reefers only.

The use of our 2 part systems like Complete or pHplus will supplement copper helping to maintain adequate levels over time.

It is recommended to dose copper continuously (as needed) in as many small doses as possible. This will ensure Copper is present and available in the water (despite precipitation and potentially being below the ICP limit of detection).

Please note that for reference one drop is approximately 0.02-0.05 ml. If your recommended dose is below 1 drop per day, feel free to dose every other day (or less).

For ease of dosing and if you wish you can dose our elements via a dosing pump mixing them together in 2 solutions.

The following Reef Zlements elements can be mixed with copper – barium, iron, chromium, cobalt, manganese, nickel and zinc.

Please note that given the different products available in the market the above only applies to Reef Zlements trace elements and that we cannot guarantee the safety of the mix with other products.

To reach the desired level of 0.20 µg/l please dose 0.03 ml of Reef Zlements Copper per day for 10 days.

Lithium is a metal that is present in reefs all around the world in substantially high quantities.

The effects of Lithium on animal and plant physiology are still to be researched but it is thought to be important for overall health.

On a scale of 1-10 (1 low, 10 high) we classify the importance of lithium supplementation a 4 and suitable for all levels of reefers.

The use of our 2 part systems like Complete or pHplus will supplement Lithium, helping to maintain adequate levels over time.

For ease of dosing and if you wish you can dose our elements via a dosing pump mixing them together in 2 solutions.

The following Reef Zlements elements can be mixed with lithium – fluorine, iodine, molybdenum, selenium and vanadium.

Please note that given the different products available in the market the above only applies to Reef Zlements trace elements and that we cannot guarantee the safety of the mix with other products.

To reach the desired level of 200.00 µg/l please dose 5.67 ml of Reef Zlements Lithium per day for 6 days.

Selenium is a trace element present in small quantities in the seawater of reefs all around the world.

​Selenium is a very important trace element that kept in small concentrations has positive impacts on coral skeleton calcification, health and coloration along protecting the corals from oxidative compounds. To maximise its benefits Selenium should be used in conjunction with VitaPlus.

It is recommended to dose Selenium continuously (as needed) in as many small doses as possible. This will ensure Selenium is present and available in the water (despite precipitation and potentially being below the ICP limit of detection).

Please note that for reference one drop is approximately 0.02-0.05 ml. If your recommended dose is below 1 drop per day, feel free to dose every other day (or less).

On a scale of 1-10 (1 low, 10 high) we classify the importance of selenium supplementation a 5 and suitable for experienced reefers only.

For ease of dosing and if you wish you can dose our elements via a dosing pump mixing them together in 2 solutions.

The following Reef Zlements elements can be mixed with selenium – fluorine, iodine, lithium, molybdenum and vanadium.

Please note that given the different products available in the market the above only applies to Reef Zlements trace elements and that we cannot guarantee the safety of the mix with other products.

To reach the desired level of 0.20 µg/l please dose 0.03 ml of Reef Zlements Selenium per day for 12 days.

Vanadium is a metal present in reefs all around the world in different states of oxidation. It is an essential element for many marine creatures as it is an enzymatic cofactor, promoting many processes to occur in particular in the metabolism of cells.

This transition metal is extremely important in colouration, growth of coral tissue along other organisms present in the aquarium.

Vanadium is also deeply connected to nutrient export and without Vanadium this is highly impacted leading to high levels of Nitrate and Phosphate in the aquarium. In parallel it also leads dull colours without contrast our fluorescence.

​Vanadium gets depleted from the water in our tanks quickly, particularly in aquariums with a refugium as Vanadium helps algae to perform photosynthesis optimally.

On a scale of 1-10 (1 low, 10 high) we classify the importance of vanadium supplementation an 8 and suitable for all levels of reefers.

The use of our 2 part systems like Complete or pHplus will supplement Vanadium helping to ensure a constant supply over time. Dosing CarboPlus will also supply the aquarium with Vanadium.

It is recommended to dose Vanadium continuously (as needed) in as many small doses as possible. This will ensure Vanadium is present and available in the water (despite precipitation and potentially being below the ICP limit of detection).

Please note that for reference one drop is approximately 0.02-0.05 ml. If your recommended dose is below 1 drop per day, feel free to dose every other day (or less).

For ease of dosing and if you wish you can dose our elements via a dosing pump mixing them together in 2 solutions.

The following Reef Zlements elements can be mixed with vanadium – fluorine, iodine, lithium, molybdenum and selenium.

Please note that given the different products available in the market the above only applies to Reef Zlements trace elements and that we cannot guarantee the safety of the mix with other products.

To reach the desired level of 2.00 µg/l please dose 0.03 ml of Reef Zlements Vanadium per day for 34 days.

Barium is often introduced in the aquarium via activated carbon, salt mixtures, rock cements and food. In high quatities, especially above 200 µg/l can lead to negative consequences like corals turning grey and potentially STN/RTNing.

Note that if the iodine concentration is low, high barium values will have a stronger impact on corals.

We recommend performing 6x 20% water changes with water with a high quality salt and or the use of good quality Granular Ferric Oxide (GFO) PO4 absorbers to remove it.

Cobalt is a trace element present in a low concentration in oceans, varying between 0.002μg/L in north central Pacific Ocean and 0.39μg/L in Indian Ocean. Above these values will promote the increase of cyanobacteria and the darkening of corals.

We therefore recommend you to perform 6x 20% water changes with a high quality salt and if coral/fish vitamin supplements are used we recommend the immediate discontinuing of these as this can contain cobalt.

High Iodine values will lead to darkening of the corals and increased algae growth.

Nonetheless, a slow iodine level increase is quite benign and doesn’t seem to produce extreme issues. Nonetheless we recommend maintaining a level of Iodine between 60-80 µg/l.

An overdose of iodine will manifest itself quickly in SPS corals as it will quickly lead to a decrease in colouration and a complete browning of the corals.

Iodine overdoses are common and can be the result of dosing blindly, supplements containing it or some frozen foods.

To lower high Iodine concentrations from the aquarium use a high quality activated carbon like Reef Zlements activated carbon which you can find here and or perform 6x 20% water changes with a high quality salt.

Elevated levels of iron can have detrimental effects on coral health, leading to darkening of corals, increased algae growth, and potentially the development of cyanobacteria.

Sources of high iron content include freshly mixed saltwater, granular ferric oxide (GFO), corrosion, supplemental dosing, and food, among others. It is recommended to maintain iron levels below 5µg/l to avoid adverse effects.

Identifying the source of elevated iron is crucial for appropriate action.

If the source is new saltwater used for a water change, no immediate action is necessary as the iron levels typically decrease naturally over the following days.

If corrosion is the source, removing the corroded material and allowing natural reduction of iron levels is recommended.

For iron originating from GFO, ensure proper flow within the reactor and rinse the GFO with reverse osmosis (RO) water before use to prevent excessive iron release.

If iron levels are attributed to supplements or food, it’s important to identify and discontinue their use.

It’s worth noting that Reef Zlements supplements, excluding the Iron trace element, do not contribute to elevated iron levels.

If you have performed a water change recently to taking the ICP water sample, it is likely that the high Manganese value is related to the new saltwater. In this case, this value will quickly precipitate and reduce to normal levels.

Nonetheless, if it is maintained too high it will lead to the darkening of the corals and algae growth as well as the promotion of cyanobacteria growth.

To reduce it we recommend the use of a high quality GFO.

An ideal level of 2 µg/l is to be reached.

Zinc can be introduced into the aquarium via trace element supplements, frozen/dry food, nori or via rubbers, rusting equipment/metal in and around the aquarium. If levels are high, it is important to check for the source.

To lower high zinc concentrations from the aquarium use a high quality activated carbon like Reef Zlements activated carbon which you can find here and or perform 6x 20% water changes with a high quality salt.