Does APT Feast release Ammonia?Updated a month ago

Yes. APT Feast releases a significant amount of ammonia in the first few weeks after submergence. The amount of ammonia released will be highest in the first few days and will decrease to low levels after a few weeks. We recommend large water changes (>70%) in the first two weeks to remove excess ammonia. This ammonia can be used to start the cycling process of the tank as it forms food for bacteria. In the long term, the ammoniacal nitrogen in the substrate acts as a superior nitrogen source for plant growth, providing a tremendous boost to plant health and growth. The downside is the need to manage the elevated ammonia levels for the first few weeks.

APT Feast also buffers the water to be slightly acidic. Below pH 7, ammonia toxicity is greatly reduced as most of the ammonia is present as ammonium (NH4+) rather than ammonia (NH3).