Seachem Reef Trace 500 mL — Full Spectrum Reef Trace Elements

Seachem Reef Trace 500 mL is the benchmark trace element supplement for marine reef aquariums. In a reef, trace elements are continuously consumed by corals, invertebrates, and coralline algae, and are also lost through oxidation and precipitation—often more rapidly than macro-elements. Even with regular water changes, levels quickly plummet in a coral-rich system, stunting growth and dulling coloration. Reef Trace replenishes this full spectrum of essential elements that are readily available to your fish.

The 500 mL format offers several months of autonomy for a medium-sized reef aquarium dosed twice a week, without refrigeration required.

Role of Trace Elements in the Reef

Trace elements are not mere "bonuses" — they play a direct role in the fundamental metabolic processes of reef organisms:

• Iron: stimulates the coloration and growth of corals, anemones, and photosynthetic animals
• Manganese and cobalt: essential enzymatic cofactors for cellular metabolism
• Molybdenum: involved in nitrogen fixation and redox processes
• Copper: present in minute physiological concentrations, necessary for enzymatic processes — at the recommended dose, safe for invertebrates
• Zinc, vanadium, rubidium, nickel, boron: constituents of natural seawater, useful for various biological mechanisms still under study

Ingredients: copper sulfate, cobalt sulfate, manganese sulfate, boric acid, sodium molybdate, zinc sulfate, rubidium chloride, nickel chloride, vanadium sulfate.

Reef Trace vs Reef Plus — Two Complementary Products

Reef Trace and Reef Plus share some common trace elements but serve distinct purposes. Reef Plus also provides essential vitamins (B12, C, thiamine) and amino acids for corals and fish. Together, the two products form a complete supplementation program. To avoid overloading with common elements, Seachem recommends alternating doses—Reef Trace one day, Reef Plus the next—rather than dosing them on the same day.

Seachem Official Usage Protocol

• Dosage: 5 mL (1 capful) per 80 liters, twice a week
• If used with Reef Plus: alternate doses (different days)
• Storage: No refrigeration required — store at room temperature, away from direct light

Yield of the 500 mL format

• 200-litre aquarium: approximately 5 months at a rate of 2x/week
• 400-litre aquarium: approximately 2.5 months at a rate of 2x/week

Reef Trace is part of the Seachem program with Reef Plus (vitamins and amino acids), Reef Complete (calcium) and Reef Carbonate (alkalinity) for a balanced and healthy reef.