Trace elements are elements that are present in natural seawater in a concentration lower than approx. 1 mg/L or ppm. Some of these elements are essential to make many biological processes possible:

• Manganese is essential for photosynthesis and many biochemical reactions associated with it.

• Iron is required by some organisms to absorb essential nutrients.

• Cobalt is essential for the formation of several coral pigments.

• Zinc, like manganese, is essential for photosynthesis and also for the formation of calcium carbonate by corals.

Salifert's research has shown that some trace elements are depleted very fast (e.g. Manganese) while some are depleted very slowly. An example of a trace element that hardly depletes is molybdenum. Despite this, many trace element supplements contain significant amounts of molybdenum. This results in far too high molybdenum concentration which stimulates undesirable cyanobacteria growth. Salifert's supplements do not contain molybdenum.

Although every aquarium is different, Salifert has succeeded in designing trace element supplements which add sufficient trace elements to make corals thrive, yet avoid overdosing. The largest difference between trace element usage is between hard corals and soft/leather corals and coralline algae. We have therefore designed two different supplements:-

Trace Hard - a trace element mix for hard corals.

Trace Soft - a trace element mix for soft/leather corals and coralline algae.

Both can be combined according to the approximate ratio of the aquarium inhabitants. In this way, a very close to perfect formulation of trace elements for different aquariums is possible.Since addition of iodine is impossible without degrading this supplement, all forms of iodine are omitted. Salifert's Natural Iodine is recommended to complete the full range of trace elements.

All in One

All in One makes the use of the so-called A and B calcium and alkalinity supplements unnecessary. It contains almost everything required for growth by corals and the beautiful encrusting pink and red coralline algae. All in One will increase the alkalinity (carbonate hardness), calcium, strontium, trace elements (except iodine) and amino acids concentrations.

Calcium, strontium, carbonate (alkalinity)and amino acids are the major constituents of calcareous algae, the skeletal material of hard corals and the skeletal needles of soft/leather corals. Growth and multiplication of these organisms means depletion of those substances. Trace elements are also very important as explained above.

Salifert's All in One supplement is highly concentrated and contains approx. 35000 ppm calcium, corresponding amounts of biologically-activated bicarbonate and 700 ppm strontium. The calcium is acetate based and, unlike gluconate-based products, is converted within minutes to calcium bicarbonate. Occasionally an additional boost of alkalinity with Salifert's KH+pH buffer is recommended to compensate for alkalinity lost by, for example, decaying food. Iodine should also be supplemented for the best result.