Cloudy tank and weird test levels?

[milliemara]

I changed to a sand substrate today, I rinsed it well and put it in my tank after removing my fish and snails. I kept about 25% of the original water. Now my tank is a cloudy white/brown colour and I can't see in it. I tested it and the levels are:
Ammonia - 0.25ppm
Nitrite - 2.0ppm
Nitrate - 5.0ppm

Whats wrong with my tank, and how long will it take to fix it? Thanks

 

[butterfly_koi]

Sounds like you might have thrown it into a mini cycle. The cloudiness could be from the sand settling or a bacteria bloom. Just keep up with the water changes and your tank should get through it

 

[Mumma.of.two]

The sand will be causing the cloudiness and well settle in a day or so. If it continues it could be a bacteria bloom. Harmless also. By removing the old substrate you've kicked up a lot of waste. That could cause instant spikes in ammonia and nitrite. Another reason could be a mini cycle. The substrate removed could have had a significant amount of bacteria that was removed. You'll need to do a water change ASAP to bring the levels down. Keep a close eye in them until everything levels out again.