Trace Colors ABCD 4x100ml — All 31 Trace Elements Stony Corals Need - Red Sea

The Trace Colors ABCD value pack from Red Sea bundles all four trace element supplements of the Reef Care Program into one 4 x 100ml box. Together they deliver the 31 minor and trace elements Red Sea identified in the skeleton and soft tissue of every stony coral. It is the format most reef keepers start with, before committing to four separate 500ml bottles.

Red Sea explains the Coral Coloration Program in its own words:

And for a longer walk-through of the whole Reef Care Program - major elements, trace elements, algae management and coral nutrition - this independent explainer covers the ground well:

What is in the pack

• Trace Colors A — Iodine+: halogens (iodine, bromine, fluorine). Linked to pink pigments.
• Trace Colors B — Potassium+: potassium and boron. Linked to red pigments.
• Trace Colors C — Iron+: iron plus 7 complementary metals (manganese, cobalt, copper, aluminum, zinc, chrome, nickel). Linked to green and yellow pigments.
• Trace Colors D — Bioactive Elements: 18 further bioactive trace elements. Linked to purple and blue pigments.

One point Red Sea states plainly and many reef keepers miss: all 31 elements are required by every stony coral, regardless of the colour it actually displays. You do not buy only the blue one because you keep blue Acropora — the four work as a set.

Why corals lose their colour

A coral's vivid colours come from pigments called chromoproteins, produced by the soft tissue to shield its inner layers from UV radiation — much like skin tanning in sunlight. Those pigments can only be made when the elements needed for the biochemical reaction are present at the right concentration. In an active reef tank these elements are steadily used up, and the coral simply stops producing them.

How to dose: the manufacturer's rule

Red Sea is unambiguous here: Trace Colors A, B, C and D should only be dosed according to a measured requirement of the aquarium. There is no universal "x ml per 100 litres" you apply without testing. Several of these elements become toxic above the concentrations found in natural seawater.

The published concentrations exist so you can convert a measured gap into millilitres once you know your demand:

• 1ml of Trace Colors A raises iodine in 100 litres (25 gal) by 0.03ppm
• 1ml of Trace Colors B raises potassium in 100 litres (25 gal) by 1.75ppm
• 1ml of Trace Colors C raises iron in 100 litres (25 gal) by 0.01ppm
• Trace Colors D is dosed 1:1 with Trace Colors C

Add slowly in a high-flow area or in the sump — never directly onto a coral. A dosing pump works well.

Goes well with

Red Sea recommends running NO3:PO4-X alongside the Trace Colors. The reasoning is straightforward: while nitrate and phosphate stay high, zooxanthellae populations bloom and cover the coral in a brownish tint. The pigments you are feeding stay hidden.

Because Trace Colors dosing is calculated from the tank's calcium uptake, Foundation A (calcium) is part of the same program. And when you move from trial size to regular use, each element is sold individually in 500ml — for example Trace Colors A Iodine+ 500ml.

Our advice

Trace Colors are supplements for when things are already going well — not supplements to make them go well. A lot of people buy them hoping to restart growth that has stalled, and that is backwards. If your corals are not growing, or barely growing, the trace elements are not being taken up — they just accumulate in the system instead of doing their job. Start dosing once the tank is dialled in and the corals are genuinely growing. That is when it works.

— Stéphane, ReefSolution

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a test kit to use Trace Colors?

Yes. Red Sea states these supplements should only be dosed to a measured requirement. Trace Colors A, B and C each contain a measurable lead element (iodine, potassium, iron). Dosing blind means adding elements that turn toxic in excess.

What is the difference between the 4x100ml pack and the 500ml bottles?

The contents are identical — only volume and packaging change. The 4x100ml pack gives you all four at once to start out or to run a smaller reef tank; the 500ml bottles make sense once your consumption is established and you know which ones run out fastest.

Can Trace Colors be used with a dosing pump?

Yes. Red Sea recommends adding slowly into a high-flow area or using a dosing pump for gradual supplementation. Never pour directly onto a coral.

What happens if I overdose?

Several elements in this range become toxic above natural seawater levels. That is exactly why Red Sea ties all dosing to a prior measurement. If a parameter looks off, stop dosing that element and get in touch with us.

Why buy from ReefSolution

Aquarium ReefSolution is an authorized Red Sea dealer. Our team works in marine aquariums in Laval and knows the Reef Care Program from real tanks, not just from the label. We ship across Canada and offer in-store pickup.