im planning on moving from a high tank to shallow tank, can i still use the sand or should i just get a new one? read something about disturbing the sand beds might spike my ammonia or nitrates
When you transfer it and rinse it, you will be killing off any beneficial bacteria in the sand. IMO you "MAY" get a mini cycle, nothing to be really concerned with. If you don't rinse it well enough to actually get rid of the dead bacteria in it and all the crap that settled.
So like said above I agree that rinsing it very well should be fine to use it then, at that point it basically becomes new.