Moved sandbed=Hi Nitrates?

[carey]

Hi. I've read that if you disturb an established sandbed it will cause high nitrates. I just bought a setup that was already running and after we poured the water in I tested. Ammonia and nitrites were zero but the nitrates are off the chart. I've done one 50% pwc already as I have nothing in the tank yet. i planned on taking more out later. Will the levels go back by themsleves or will it just take pwc's?

Thanks guys!

 

[subliminalanarchy]

If nothing's messing with the sand, and you continue doing water changes I imagine the nitrate spike will go away, at least until something disturbs it.

From what I've heard it's probably best to just take it all out and rinse it off really well. Maybe you could do half one week so the bacteria has time to spread?

 

[mr_X]

i would do a few water changes and recheck. you can remove the sand and rinse it out, but that's basically what you are doing with the water changes...you stirred up the sand, and now are removing what came out of it.
the nitrates will decrease either way.

 

[carey]

Thanks guys. Just wasn't 100% on that. Back to the buckets lol