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 0.01 ml of Reef Zlements Chromium per day for 28 days.

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.

Cobalt is an integral part of vitamin B12 and plays a fundamental role in DNA; cell processes along being a nutrient for macro algae. It has been suggested that Cobalt might be a limiting factor of the bio-availability in the oceans and therefore an important trace element for the life of our animals.

Insufficient cobalt values reduce growth and colour formation.

Due to the extremely small amount needed in our aquariums, Cobalt is usually below the ICP detection limit. Nonetheless, despite potentially being present in undetectable levels the correction to reference levels will be ideal.

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

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

It is recommended to dose Cobalt continuously (as needed) in as many small doses as possible. This will ensure Cobalt is present and available in the water (despite depletion 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 cobalt – barium, iron, chromium, 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. We cannot guarantee the safety of the mix with other products.

To reach the desired level of 0.20 µg/l please dose 0.01 ml of Reef Zlements Cobalt per day for 12 days.

Iodine is a trace element belonging to the halogen group, which is present in reefs all around the world, being one of the most important elements for all animals and plants in our aquariums.

It can be present in different organic and inorganic forms, however in our aquariums Iodine mainly exists as inorganic iodine, iodate, and iodide.

Nonetheless corals and bacteria can absorb all forms of iodine, and as such it is irrelevant in which form it is added.

Iodine concentrations in seawater vary widely, but it is commonly agreed that a level of 60-80 µg/l is ideal.

Iodine has been known to have a positive impact in aquariums where macro algae is present and to impact the blue and green colours of the genus Acropora and Montipora.

A low Iodine concentration manifests itself in poor colouration, reduced (or non-existent) growth, colourless growth tips or growth edges, and high light sensitivity allowing bleaching to more readily occur.

Low Iodine concentrations can also weaken the coral immune system, reducing any resistance to parasites.

Below ideal levels, Iodine will greatly impact bio-filtration and coral polyp extension is reduced (even when feeding LPS).

Very low levels of Iodine combined with low levels of other halogens such as Bromine can promote dinoflagellate growth.
With extreme iodine deficiency i.e. below 30 µg/l, SPS corals stop growing and RTN-STN infections occur more frequently.

With continued iodine deficiency, SPS corals start to STN from the base.

On a scale of 1-10 (1 low, 10 high) we classify the importance of Iodine supplementation a 9 and suitable for all levels of reefers.

The use of our 2 part systems like Complete or pHplus will supplement Iodine 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 iodine – fluorine, lithium, 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 60.00 µg/l please dose 0.06 ml of Reef Zlements Iodine per day for 5 days.

Iron is present in reefs all around the world, being one of the most important elements for all animals and plants in our aquariums. Having a strong role in many different metabolic processes, including the transport of oxygen in the blood of animals.

Iron gets depleted (precipitates) from the water in our tanks very quickly.

Iron has been known to have a positive impact in aquariums where macro algae is present and to improve green colours.

It also plays an important role in the availability of nitrogen.

A deficiency of Iron can result in corals and biofilms (bacteria) not being able to process nitrogen compounds as well, if at all.

The reflection of this is that nutrients (NO3 and PO4) in the system increase substantially.

Often Iron is a limiting factor in the nitrogen cycle and carbon dosing (CarboPlus) will not perform as expected in reducing PO₄³⁻ and NO3- due to a lack of Iron.

A good Iron supplementation will improve the green and yellow colours in corals.

Iron not only precipitates quickly but, is also removed by filtration and consumed quickly, it is recommended that the dose shown below is performed weekly by splitting in to as many doses as possible (ideally dosed more than once a day).

On a scale of 1-10 (1 low, 10 high) we classify the importance of Iron supplementation a 7 and suitable for all levels of reefers.

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

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

If you maintain macro algae please multiply your daily dose by 2x. However, if yellow corals do start to appear green, reduce the dose.

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 iron – barium, chromium, 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 0.40 µg/l please dose 0.00 ml of Reef Zlements Iron per day for 29 days.

Manganese is present in all reefs around the world, being an extremely important element for animals and plants in our aquariums.

Being a cofactor to many enzymes it has a strong role in the metabolic processes of almost all organisms, Manganese has been known to have a positive impact around the oxidative processes in organisms and is an essential element for corals having an impact in both growth and colouration (specially red).

Manganese in the aquarium precipitates quickly making it almost non-existent thus, can only be detected if the concentration is much higher than needed.

A lack of manganese is visible in dull tissue, reduced growth (or none at all), colourless growth tips and little to no polyp extension in Goniopora and Alveopora corals as well as light sensitivity in LPS.

Manganese also plays an important role in photosynthesis making it crucial for corals, algae and phytoplankton.

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

If GFO is used we recommend the additional supplementation of Manganese as GFO will absorb Mn.

The use of our 2 part systems like Complete/pHplus or our NO3/PO4 reduction supplement CarboPlus will supplement Manganese helping to maintain adequate levels over time.

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

If you maintain Goniopora corals, macro algae or a high coral bio-mass please multiply your daily dose by 2x.

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 manganese – barium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, 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 2.00 µg/l please dose 0.02 ml of Reef Zlements Manganese per day for 31 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 0.01 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 0.01 ml of Reef Zlements Vanadium per day for 34 days.

Although corals will tolerate a high Molybdenum concentration well, this along with high nutrient levels will promote the growth of cyanobacteria. Nonetheless, Mo alone will not promote cyanobacteria.

We we therefore recommend the lowering of these levels by performing 6x 20% water changes with a high quality salt and the use of high quality activated carbon like our Z Reef Carbon which you can find here

Tin is a metal that is normally present in seawater at around 3 µg/l and above 10 µg/l will become particularly problematic for corals.

Corals will become grey and ultimately will STN/RTN.

Tin can enter the aquarium via frozen food, uncleaned glass and pvc, corroding equipment or metals around the aquarium.

We recommend to lower this level by performing 6x 20% water changes with a high quality salt.

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.

Orthophosphate (PO₄³⁻) is likely the most important nutrient in the reef aquaria when it comes to corals, however too much can lead to corals losing coral and becoming brown and to the reduction if coral growth.

It can also lead to algae and bacteria issues.

PO₄³⁻ swings can lead to STN/RTN so, it is important to carefully manage Phosphate levels.

To manage PO4 adequately, a conscious fish load and feeding should be observed, this will in turn help avoiding the deposits of organic matter containing undesired excess of nutrients.

We recommend the use of our new high efficient liquid Phosphate remover PhosFate or a good quality Granular Ferric Oxide (GFO) like RowaPhos.

Phosphorous is likely the most important nutrient in the reef aquaria when it comes to corals, however too much in the form of Orthophosphate can lead to corals losing colour, becoming brown and to the reduction of coral growth.

It can also lead to algae and bacterial issues.

Swings can lead to STN/RNT so, it is important to carefully manage Phosphorous/Phosphate levels.

To manage PO4 adequately, a conscious fish load and feeding should be observed, this will in turn help avoiding the deposits of organic matter containing undesired excess of nutrients.

We recommend the use of our new high efficient liquid Phosphate remover PhosFate or a good quality Granular Ferric Oxide (GFO) like RowaPhos.

Total Phosphate is the sum of all forms of phosphate present in a given sample. Phosphate (PO₄⁻) can exist in different chemical forms depending on factors such as pH, temperature, and the environment.

The three main forms of phosphate are:

• Orthophosphate (PO4³⁻) which is also measured with the Advanced ICP test, is also known as inorganic phosphate and is the most biologically available form of phosphate. It is directly used by corals, algae, bacteria and other organisms as a nutrient. Orthophosphate is the primary form of phosphate that aquarium hobbyists should focus on, as it has the most significant impact on the corals and the aquarium.
• Polyphosphates are composed of multiple phosphate molecules linked together. In water, they can break down into orthophosphate over time and become biologically available.
• Organic phosphates are phosphorus compounds bound to organic molecules, such as nucleic acids, phospholipids, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP). These compounds can also be contained in plants/algae, bacteria, detritus, etc. and are generally not readily available as a nutrient source for most aquatic organisms, as they need to be released into the water, broken down and converted into orthophosphate by biological processes before they can be utilized.

When measuring total phosphate via ICP testing, all these forms of phosphate are included in the analysis to get a comprehensive view of the total phosphorus content in a sample. This analysis is essential for understanding the nutrient dynamics and potential eutrophication (excessive nutrient enrichment leading to algal blooms) in aquatic environments, including in reef tanks.

For reef aquarium hobbyists, it’s often more critical to monitor and control orthophosphate levels since it is the primary form of phosphate that affects coral and algae growth in the tank.

High orthophosphate levels can lead to algae issues and negatively impact coral health, nonetheless reefers can likely infer the amount of detritus, plankton, bacteria and ultimately water quality level looking at the difference between the Total Phosphate and the Orthophosphate concentrations. The bigger the difference is the more likely is the presence of detritus, algae, bacteria, etc. in the water thus potentially reducing the water quality.

To resolve the above, reefers should use adequately sized skimmers, filter rollers like the Clarisea along with UV and Ozone systems which will help to remove these “detritus” from the water.

Following from the above a total phosphate concentration as close to the orthophosphate concentration as possible is likely a good indicator of a “clean water” free from detritus and other undesired bodies.

To manage PO4 adequately, a conscious fish load and feeding should be observed, this will in turn help avoiding the deposits of organic matter containing undesired excess of nutrients.

If the Orthophosphate is equally high, we recommend the use of our new highly efficient liquid Phosphate remover PhosFate or a good quality Granular Ferric Oxide (GFO) like RowaPhos.

Aluminium is normally found in seawater as an insoluble particulate material.

High levels of aluminium in the aquarium can be a result of aluminum based phosphate binding agents. Similarly, sources of Aluminium can be found in frozen food although at a lower concentration. Some salt brands, calcium reactor medias and zeolites based on minerals of the aluminium silicate group can also be a source of aluminium.

There are many known biological effects of aluminum, nearly all of which are negative and as no clear biological use in aquaria, nonetheless values < 20 µg/l can slightly enhance SPS corals colouration. However, with consistently high concentrations of aluminium corals will experience negative effects namely the decrease of soft tissue, low polyp extension and ultimately STN/RTN.

Soft corals like Sarcophyton, Sinularia and others when exposed to continuous high levels of aluminium will retract all the polyps and will start to die off starting at the base. Similar effects can be observed in mushrooms, zoanthids and GSP although after longer periods of exposure.

Aluminium can also bind to fish gills causing asphyxiation and death.

As such if aluminium phosphate absorbing are being employed we recommend these to be replaced by iron based PO4 biding agents.

At levels above 200 µg/l it is particularly important to locate and remove the source of aluminium in the tank.

To lower the concentration of aluminium we recommend the use of good quality GFO and or perform 6x 20% water changes with a high quality salt.