water and substrate change
 

will a substrate change and a 40% water change help with nitrites and will i have to wait for the tank to cycle before i put the live stock back in, or just acclimate them?

I woud do the water change and get your nitrates down. Now. And after you've stabilized the tank, we can talk about removing substrate. Don't do both yet.

patience ,patience, is the right way of doing it. you start rushing and before you know it you will have livestock dying on you. Say you do a water change and change the substrate in the tank all the crap in the bottom of the tank will make its way into the rock and all over. just do baby steps to get the tank sorted out .


mike