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[Beverly]

Originally Posted by Seriak

Everything can cause a spike. I did not say it would cause enough of a spike to kill anything. But a spike is a spike even if it doesn't wind up doing anything to your tank. Any live sand can cause a spike. That is why I said it could cause a spike. The fish definately will, but the sand might depending on how 'live ' it is.

Or am I wrong here?

IMO, spikes occur when there is insufficient nitrifying bacteria to deal with fish waste, left over food, and stuff that's dying whether it's on rock or in the sandbed. The more "live" a sandbed is, the less likely a spike will occur because it'll be loaded with bacteria. That is, unless something in the sandbed is dying which the existing bacteria is unable to cope with. Does that make sense?