More fishless cycling questions...a little long

[canucks]

Hello. Well, as I'm really new to this and can't really find the answers to my questions anywhere, I just want to know if the things I'm experiencing are somewhat "normal". (I know every tank is different, but...). So here's what's happening: I'm 13 days into a fishless cycle, and there is alot of muck in the tank; (I added two used foam filter inserts from my turtle tank), and there's algae growing on the glass (a good sign??), and there are these little white worm things floating around in there, a natural and harmless thing, I've heard, (though if they're still there when we want to put fish in, I'd be more than a little nervous), and the filter is all plugged up with muck, but still working, and I removed two tiny snails from the tank today.
Now, I think I kinda fluffed on the ammonia doses-I thought it was supposed to be brought back up to 5ppm each day, and then through continual research I realized that I should have maybe cut the dose in half when nitrites appeared, (which was on the second day). But I have been keeping the ammo at 5ppm until 2 days ago, when I decided to cut the dose in half since ammo has been at 2.4 since day 4 and nitrites have been at 1.6 since day 3. I did a nitrAte test today out of curiosity and they are off the chart. I also missed dosing for one day and have changed the time of day I do it from 9:30pm to 9:30am, would that affect anything?
So here are my questions:
#1) Are these readings KIND of on target? I thought they would have gone down a bit by now.
#2) Should I clean a bit of debris from the filter and gravel, or just let it all fester nicely away until the "final" big water change? I don't want to stress the motor on the filter. Would a water change and gravel vaccuming be a good idea?
#3) Would adding some plants right now be OK? I do plan to have a planted tank and have a green thumb when it comes to house plants (over 60 of them), but I know aquatics are a little different.
#4) Is there any other info that I can check out on fishless cycling? It seems to be a relatively new idea with limited info.
Thanks so much for your help on these as well as all my previous questions. Am I ever glad I stumbled onto this site! :) And sorry if I've asked some questions over in other posts. I'm just really new to this and things are going a little differently than I had expected, (which is usually the case with things, eh?)
Thanks a bunch!

[famman]

#1) Yes, you sound right on target.

#2) Yes do a very modest cleaning, it may slow down your cycle very modestly, but you want to get things on a steady basis.

#3) Do NOT add plants until after you add your fish. I suggest your quarantine the plants seperately before adding.

#4) Try www.theskepticalaquarist.com or www.tomgriffin.com/aquamag/cycle2.html

Missing a day on dosing is not a problem.

You sound like you are right on track.

I suggest a very modest cleaning and a nearly complete water change so that you can measure levels correctly. Dose to 5ppm ammo and check your levels the next morning. I think you are very close to a complete cycle, maybe a few days more at most.

Three things left to:

1) Dose to 5ppm ammo and read 0 ammo 0 nitrIte the next day 3 days in a row.

2) Do a final water change the day before you add fish.

3) Plan ahead for a full bioload of fish, as you want as many of the intended inhabitants as possible after a fishless cycle.

good luck

:)

[canucks]

Haha! That's great! :D Thanks for the advice. Do you know anything about the little worm things? (Or anyone else?)