Barium is an essential trace element present in reefs all around the world and plays a strong role in coral calcification supporting healthy coral growth.

Barium levels in seawater vary widely between oceans and depth. While it is found in concentrations ranging from 5 to 20 µg/l, it is agreed that a 10 µg/l level is an acceptable concentration level to maintain in the saltwater aquarium.

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

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

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 elements can be mixed with barium – chromium, 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 15.00 µg/l please dose 7.10 ml of Reef Zlements Barium per day for 2 days.

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 0.02 ml of Reef Zlements Chromium per day for 28 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 0.07 ml of Reef Zlements Manganese per day for 23 days.

Nickel is present in reefs all around the world and is an essential element for many marine creatures and bacteria as it promotes many enzymatic processes to occur.

With the ideal Nickel concentration, improvements in growth along with red and turquoise colours and contrast.

Nonetheless, Nickel gets depleted from the water in our tanks quickly.

Nickel has a growth-enhancing effect if ideal Nitrate levels are found in the water.

On a scale of 1-10 (1 low, 10 high) we classify the importance of nickel supplementation a 3 and suitable for experienced reefers only.

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

It is recommended to dose Nickel continuously (as needed) in as many small doses as possible. This will ensure Nickel 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 nickel – 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 2.50 µg/l please dose 0.10 ml of Reef Zlements Nickel per day for 32 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 0.02 ml of Reef Zlements Selenium per day for 12 days.

Sulfate (SO4²⁻) is an essential parameter to monitor in a reef aquarium because it is directly related to the overall sulfur dynamics within the tank. However, excessive or quick changes in sulfate (SO4²⁻) levels in a reef aquarium can be harmful to the aquarium inhabitants and the overall health of the reef ecosystem.

High levels of sulfate can be toxic to various marine organisms, including corals, fish, and invertebrates. It can lead to stress, tissue damage, and even mortality in some species.

While sulfate is essential for denitrification and other biological processes, excessive amounts (or quick changes in the levels) can disrupt the balance of these processes. It may lead to imbalances in the nutrient cycling and other biological functions in the aquarium. This can lead to excessive bacteria count, including pathogens potentially leading to STN/RTN of corals.

High sulfate concentrations can interfere with the uptake and utilization of calcium by corals. Calcium is essential for coral growth and skeletal formation, so any interference can lead to weakened and stunted coral growth.

To avoid problems associated with excessive sulfate levels, reefkeepers should regularly monitor sulfate levels through water testing, such as Ion Chromatography (IC). Maintaining sulfate concentrations within appropriate ranges is crucial for the health and stability of the reef aquarium.

To reduce Sulfate/sulphur levels we recommend you performing 6x 20% water changes with a high quality salt.

Sulphur is a macro element which is abundantly present in all reefs around the world mostly in the form of Sulfate.

Despite Sulphur being a macro element that typically gets replenished with water changes and the addition of foods or other supplements containing high levels of sulfate, sulphur can reach unhealthy levels. Given that Sulphur is highly linked to bacterial activity, the presence of Sulphur in higher concentrations of over 10% of what is normally found in the seawater can lead to bacterial issues, including STN and RTN of corals.

High levels of suphur are particularly dangerous as sulfur-oxidizing bacterium can create hydrogen sulphide in anoxic areas of the substrate. It is therefore important to not only keep sulphur around 900 mg/l but, also sulphate around 2700 mg/l and if “black” areas below the surface of the sand are observed it is key to siphon all that substrate out of the aquarium without allowing any “dust” to travel to the water column.

We therefore recommend you performing 6x 20% water changes with a high quality salt.

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.

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.