2Hr Aquarist APT Start

It depends on the aquasoil. If you're using APT Feast, you don't need APT START - Feast already delivers sustained nutrition and beneficial microbes from day one. If you're using most other aquasoils, APT START adds two things they usually lack: an extra boost of ammoniacal nitrogen at the root zone, and a dose of starter bacteria to kick-start cycling. Think of it as an enhancement for the roughly 90% of aquasoils that provide minerals but no live bacteria - not a mandatory add-on for every setup.

Yes, APT START is a one-time setup product. Spread the pouch evenly across the tank base before you lay your substrate (preferably aquasoil) on top, then tear open the bacteria sachet and pour it in once you fill the tank with water. It works whether you plant right away or run a dark start first - it simply goes into the substrate build at the very beginning. For ongoing support afterwards, continue with APT Balance for microbes after the first month, and APT JAZZ for nutrients from around three months on.

It does two jobs at once. First, it enriches the substrate with ammoniacal nitrogen and essential minerals - the form of nitrogen plants take up most easily, which drives faster, more robust root-zone growth. Second, it seeds the tank with beneficial bacteria and releases a small amount of ammonia to feed them, helping your tank cycle and stabilise sooner. Most substrate boosters only add minerals; APT START adds the live microbes too.