Colombo, the Dutch company known for its pond, freshwater, and saltwater test kits and supplements, has just released a line of marine aquarium supplements designed specifically to boost coral color.

They are not colorants, but trace elements, which have a direct effect on the coloring of some corals, especially SPS.

There are four products in the set: All In One, Halo Complex, Potassium +,  and Metals +.

All in One

The All in One contains all the trace elements, and is intended for general use. Specifically, All in One deals with the equilibrium of elements like Iodium, Potassium, and Iron. Colombo links the consumption of these elements to the consumption of Calcium , and suggests a 20 ml dose of this product for every 100 ml of its other product, Calcium +. It’s a very easy guide and it can be useful for aquariums without a calcium reactor, otherwise you can even heavily underdose the product. All in One has only one package size, 500 ml and costs 13,35 euro. It’s almost 26,70 euro per liter.

Halo Complex

The Halo Complex supplement contains Iodio, Bromine, and Fluorine. Colombo says that Halo Complex helps develop the pink coloring of corals. 1 ml of product for every 100 liters increases the iodium content by 0.03 mg/l, as it should be 0.06 mg/l in aquarium. In case you don’t have an iodium test, Colombo shows a simple method of dosage: administer 8 ml of Halo Complex for every 100 ml of Calcium +. Halo Complex also comes in just one size, 500 ml, with a price of 11,95 euro. So it’s 23,90 euro per liter.

Potassium +

The Potassium + supplement is Potassium and Boron, and boosts for the red coloring of corals. 1 ml of product for every 100 liters increases the potassium content of 2 mg/l and boron of 0.01 mg/l. The optimal value of potassium in marine water should be 380 mg/l, as you can read here, but Colombo shows 400 mg/l as an optimal value. Like its two “brothers“, Potassium + comes in a 500 ml bottle and costs 11,95 euro. So its cost per liter is 23,90 euro.

Metals +

The Metals + supplement contains Ferrous, Manganese, Cobalt and Nichel. Colombo informs us that Metals + helps green and yellow coloring. 1 ml of product for every 100 liters increases the ferrous content by 0.02 mg/l. Colombo says that the optimal value should be 0,15 mg/l. Like the rest, Metals + comes in one size, 500 ml, and costs 11,95 euro. So its cost per liter is 23,90 euro.

Comments

I like that Colombo wants to be so accurate with its products, declaring what each product contains and the doses it requires. I personally prefer to only use trace elements that I can test the concentration of in my aquarium, and with Colombo, this is possible.

Have you used these products? What do you think?

[Translated by Agnese Poggi]