Help Me Figure Out My Weird Readings

[DoubleJ]

OK, 5 days ago, I had readings of 5ppm of ammonia, 0ppm of nitrite, and 10ppm of Nitrate (Imported from another tank). Basically, it's an uncycled tank. I have added a few plants to the tank since then. Today, I post readings of 0ppm of ammonia, 0ppm of Nitrite, and still 10ppm of nitrate. I am assuming that the plants have absorbed all of the ammonia. My questions are as followes:

1. I have all of the fish in this tank that I want in there right now and have for awhile now so, I know there will be no more bio load than there is right now. Could I, at a future date, add more fish? It's a 55gl tank with 2 filstar XP3's filtering it. Fish are, 7 Rasboras, 6 Black Skirt Tetras, 2 Phantom Tetras, 5 oto cats. If I were to add anymore fish, I was thinking of 4 more Phantoms and a small group of guppies or swordtails. Any suggestions?

2. If the plants are using all of the ammonia currently being produced, is there bacteria growing?

3. If the plants are currently using all of the ammonia and there are nitrates left over, as these were imported as part of another tanks water, do I need more plants to absorb the left over nitrates or, will the plants eventually get to using these all up?

Any other suggestions???

Thanks

 

[xoedusk]

I think your assumption that your plants are using all of the ammonia is wrong. Furthermore, your test kit may be giving misreadings. Do you know how long ago you bought it? What kind is it? Liquid? Test strip?

In general, nitrates will grow indefinitely (though the rate at which they grow depends on you plants? anyone?). You'll need to do water changes to keep them down.

 

[DoubleJ]

Test kit is about 2 months old and is the AP liquid kind. 5 days ago, there was 5ppm and today, there is 0 but no nitrites either. Just to make sure, I tested it 3 times.