mastery made easy – The 2HR Aquarist APT range for New Zealand aquarium shops

Fertilisers, algae treatments and Feast aquasoil from The 2HR Aquarist, for planted tanks done The 2Hr Way. We bring the APT range to aquarium shops across New Zealand, and we use what we sell.

APT Zero. All-in-one fertiliser for new tanks with aquasoil and for tanks with more fish. 5ml per 100L four times a week, or 3ml per 100L daily. A 300ml pack lasts about three months on a 115L tank.

APT Feast. Aquasoil that gives a sustained boost for up to 12 months and softens water to pH 6.2–6.6.

APT Start. Substrate enrichment and starter bacteria in one pouch for a new tank. One 45g pouch per 60 × 30cm of tank floor.

APT Balance. Dry-powder beneficial bacteria made for aquasoil tanks. Speeds up cycling and settling in.

APT Complete. All-in-one liquid fertiliser for established planted tanks with more plants than fish. Macro, micro and trace nutrition in a single daily dose.

APT EI. The most concentrated all-in-one, for heavily planted Dutch-style tanks dosed by the Estimative Index.

APT Jazz. Root fertiliser for thicker, fuller growth forms with better algae control. One tab per 2.5 square inches, more than an inch deep. Replenish after two months.

APT Fix. Copper-free treatment for black beard, hair, string, fuzz and filamentous algae, and cyanobacteria.

APT Fixlite. The gentler Fix, for tanks with mosses, liverworts, Vallisneria and young or delicate plants.

APT Sky. Puts calcium and magnesium back into RO water without moving NPK, KH or pH, so shrimp and hardwater plants can share a softwater tank.

APT Pure. Water conditioner for chlorine, chloramines and heavy metals, with aloe vera. 1ml per 60L.

APT Dew. Mist-on fertiliser for terrariums, paludariums and wabi kusa, fed through the leaf.

a new aquasoil tank: APT Zero
setting up a new tank: APT Feast, APT Start, APT Balance
more fish than plants: APT Zero
more plants than fish: APT Complete
a Dutch tank on EI: APT EI
feeding the roots: APT Jazz
black beard or hair algae: APT Fix
algae near moss: APT Fixlite
RO water and shrimp: APT Sky
water changes: APT Pure
a terrarium or wabi kusa: APT Dew

Apply for a trade account Retailer login

A tank's first year

The 2Hr Way, one planted tank from bare soil to settled, and the APT product for each stage.

01 / 06

Setting up

Feast goes down as the substrate. Start enriches it and brings starter bacteria, and Balance keeps the bacteria coming while the tank cycles.

APT Feast Aquasoil that gives a sustained boost for up to 12 months and softens water to pH 6.2–6.6.
APT Start One 45g pouch per 60 × 30cm of tank floor.
APT Balance Dry-powder beneficial bacteria made for aquasoil tanks. Speeds up cycling and settling in.

02 / 06

The first months

New tanks can be frustrating at the beginning, and algae on the plants is not always a bad sign. The 2HR Aquarist calls this the ugly duckling stage.

Read New Tank Journey: Ugly Duckling

APT Zero 5ml per 100L four times a week, or 3ml per 100L daily. A 300ml pack lasts about three months on a 115L tank.

Black beard algae on bucephalandra, before APT Fix

Black beard algae on bucephalandra, 7 days after APT Fix

Green dust on Seiryu stone, before APT Fix

Green dust on Seiryu stone, 3 days after APT Fix

Photographs: The 2HR Aquarist.

03 / 06

If algae takes hold

Black beard, hair and fuzz algae get APT Fix. It goes after the weaker cell walls of algae and leaves higher plants largely alone. With moss or other delicate plants in the tank, use the gentler Fixlite.

APT Fix Copper-free treatment for black beard, hair, string, fuzz and filamentous algae, and cyanobacteria.
APT Fixlite The gentler Fix, for tanks with mosses, liverworts, Vallisneria and young or delicate plants.

The 2HR Aquarist 4ft Rotala florida community aquarium

04 / 06

Established

More plants than fish now. This is the tank APT Complete is made for.

APT Complete Macro, micro and trace nutrition in a single daily dose.

05 / 06

Feeding the roots

Feast gives a sustained boost for up to 12 months. Plants that feed through their roots get APT Jazz, replenished after two months.

APT Jazz One tab per 2.5 square inches, more than an inch deep. Replenish after two months.

A mature planted tank with red and green plants

06 / 06

Every water change

Whatever stage the tank is at, the new water gets APT Pure first.

APT Pure 1ml per 60L.

Also in the range: APT EI for Dutch tanks dosed by the Estimative Index, APT Sky for RO water and shrimp, and APT Dew for terrariums and wabi kusa.

“If it isn't smarter or better, we don't make it.”

The 2HR Aquarist

stocking 2HR

You focus on selling, we'll give the answers.

The 2HR Aquarist calls its dealer network the 3 Aces. This is what it gives a shop.

Ride the surf: Join us as we continue to popularise exciting new plants, scapes, techniques and ideas on the back of our fast growing global fan-base.
Stand out: Differentiated, high-performance products. To savvy, premium customers who value knowledge and results. If it isn't smarter or better, we don't make it.
Super support: Post-sales support backed by The 2HR Aquarist's in-depth guides on planted tanks, a growing community of 2Hr Way practitioners, and HQ.

Starting out

An opening order of $700 at dealer pricing, plus freight.
Free product to use in your own tanks in store.
Our marketing resources.
A 100-day guarantee, back to back. If a customer returns something, we'll send you a similar quantity back.

1
Register. Create a retailer account on the trade store.
2
Approval. We review the account and approve aquarium and pet retailers.
3
Order. Log in to see the range, trade prices and stock, then order.

Apply for a trade account Retailer login

On The 2HR Aquarist's guides

Karen Randall, aquatic plant expert and speaker

From the guides

More at 2hraquarist.com

where to buy

Aquarium shops and online stores from Whangārei to Christchurch stock The 2HR Aquarist.

Find a stockist