Planted Tank Substrates

APT Feast has a reputation as a soil for advanced aquascapers, but a beginner can get the same fast, strong growth. The rich soil releases ammonia in the first weeks, which regular water changes clear out. The dark start everyone mentions is optional, not required.

Many aquarists start a new tank and immediately face a diatom bloom. This guide lays out two reliable ways to start an APT Feast tank, dark start or plant on day one, and grow in fast without the algae stage.

Active or inert? Aquasoil holds nutrients and can lower pH, while sand and gravel stay neutral but cost less and need less upkeep. This guide breaks down cation exchange, ammonia, CO2 generation, and long-term maintenance, so you can match your substrate to the tank you will actually keep.

Aquasoils are now standard in many planted tank setups, but there are very few sources if any, that cover how to maintain aquasoil substrates over the long run. Excess organic detritus should be removed and aquasoil substrates also need enriching over time to perform optimally.