Aquarium's richest substrate.
+ Sustained boost for up to 12 months.
+ Softens Water (6.2-6.6pH).
+ Superior bioactive support.
APT Feast makes it radically easier to achieve richer colors and fuller forms. Demanding species? No sweat. Easy Victory starts here.
Compared to conventional 'big brand' aquasoils, APT Feast contains more than 2X the amount of Nitrogen (N), the most important macro nutrient. That is like having a 60,000 mAh powerbank instead of everybody else's 30,000 mAh version.
Substrate is a hassle to replace. APT Feast easily provides sustained nutrition for up to 12 months without any additional root fertilisation. No, you don't even need APT START when you begin!
Probiotic, organic granules that hold their form yet feel and perform like natural soil. Plant roots sense it immediately. So do beneficial bacteria.
Add APT Feast, Hardscape and Water.
Filter on, lights off. Add Starter bacteria and/or detritus from matured tank. Bonus: Raise temperature to 29C/84F. This will speed up the cycling.
Dark Start completed? Perform 100% water change and add hardy plants. Begin water fertilization: Dose APT liquid fertilisers from Day 1 after planting. Avoid Bucephalandra, delicate plants until 2 weeks later.
Perform 80% water change every week, for another 2 weeks after initial planting. Introduce slow growers, delicates, tissue culture plants and fish/ shrimp after that.
A Cold Start (using an inorganic substrate) is like putting fresh cut flowers in a vase: it is conveniently easy for the first 1-3 weeks. There is no need for water changes and it is OK add fish almost immediately. Plants do not melt (yet), and there is little algae. The problems come 4-6 weeks later. After consuming their stored energy, plants begin to struggle, and algae (delayed at the beginning) gain an entrenched foothold, taking advantage of the weaker plants and less developed microbial ecology.
A Warm Start (using a highly organic substrate) is like starting a miniature farm: real work is required at the start to avoid making an immediate mess. A 2 week Dark Start (ideally at ~26C+/ 79F+), followed by a 100% water change before adding hardy plants (no Bucephalandra, rare hybrids, delicate plants yet). Weekly 80% water change for another 2 weeks. Fish and delicate plants enter 1 month after planting. The reward? Richer colors and stronger growth that endures, with enhanced microbial diversity that supports crystal clear waters.