Question: New Tank Mini Cycle?

[EllieWind]

New tank mini cycle?

Just looking for a little advice in case I'm not doing something right.

I just moved into a new apartment a little over a week ago and upgraded my axie's 15 gal. tank to a 55 gal. I transferred the old substrate, hide, and a few plants into the new tank and a friend with several established tanks gave me some seeded filter media to get the cycle restarted. At the moment the tank's parameters are at .25ppm ammonia, 0ppm nitrite, and 40ppm nitrate. The PH and hardness have been fairly consistent from our old place and the temperature has been holding at 68 degrees (a little warmer than I'd prefer, but not bad). Clearly since there is nitrate present I can assume that the cycle has at least started, but I'm concerned about the ammonia. Its been sitting at the same level for a week and only went up a couple of times (I did 20% water changes when that happened), but hasn't decreased. So my question is: is it actually going through a mini cycle and am I doing alright by allowing a little ammonia to remain in the tank to feed the growing bacteria, and how long would it be estimated until the cycle is stable again?

I should also mention that my axolotl is in the tank and is showing no signs of stress. I've been keeping a close eye on him but am still a bit worried about the ammonia levels.

 

[Hayleyy]

Is there anything in the tank (hidden food/poop) that could be causing the ammonia?
or, it could be that it just needs more time to build up more bacteria since it is a larger tank.
I wouldn't keep an axolotl in a tank with ammonia unless you are really unable to tub. If it has to stay in the tank use prime if you don't already and do more regular smaller water changes (maybe try 15% every day/two days). If you use prime wait at least a day before testing for ammonia again as it can give the wrong result.

 

[EllieWind]

I've done several water changes by now (about one ever other day at this point), and I have looked in every nook and cranny but can't find any poo or anything else that could be causing the ammonia. Currently since I'm just getting moved into a new apartment I don't have anywhere that I could keep my axolotl in a tub or bucket that our cats couldn't get to. :/
I did a test on the tap water itself and did get a reading of ammonia, so I'm starting to think that it may be more of a false positive than an actual ammonia spike. I'm planning on getting some Prime just to be safe though.