lumieresi'd recommend starting on something else like notwhat or a general private tracker, build your ratio and then get into apollo/red through user class forums etc. it's kind of a slow process but if you're not willing to wait then you're probably just going to get banned from private trackers anyway. this way you'll at least understand how ratio building works, whether or not you want to invest in a seedbox, etc.
and finally to those saying they don't understand the point of private trackers it's kind of something you have to experience to see the value. rather than searching through tons of sketchy ass public sites you have everything you could want, well seeded, full FLACs and vinyl rips, etc. if all you download is 128/320kbps albums then yeah it's probably not worth your time, but for anyone who listens to a lot of music it's kind of like valhalla.
But if you have money for audiophile gear to enjoy your 24bit 96000hz vinyl rips and money for a seedbox, you also have money for direct download premiums/ usenet accounts or actually just buying your music, and all of those seem much less laborious to my uninformed self than getting into high level torrenting?