CYCLING MISTAKE! Need advice

[Yessie]

Hi! I’m looking for advice.

I received 10 shrimp from a friend 3 weeks ago. I immediately bought a 3 gallon tank and cycled it using API quick start and throwing food into it (as instructed from YouTube). I then found this site a week later and realized what I did was a huge mistake.

I put my Macro algae and calcium flakes from this site last week. The tank is now 3 weeks old and the shrimp are still living in the jar that the past owner gave me.

From my understanding, if I followed the directions from this website then the tank would almost be done cycling. Since I made the mistakes above what should I do? Should I just do a full water change and start over?

This is why I’m hesitant to add the shrimp to the tank. I use the API test kit and read:
.5ppm Ammonia
.0 nitrite
.0 nitrate
8.0 PH

[Harry]

You do show some ammonia. I m not sure what level of ammonia is acceptable. I like to cycle my tanks with Malaysian Trumpet Snails. They are quite hardy and inexpensive as well. I place them along with some tiny (very tiny) amounts of food such as algae wafers. At some point, you should see some tiny snails, as they are prolific breeders. If your salt to water ratio is correct, I would not waste it by tossing it out. I would just add some snails and wait for some offspring. I'm thinking a week or so. Most pet/aquarium shops likely have some in their tanks that they might give you for free. Or you can buy them here or on amazon.

[Yessie]

I’ll try that out, thank you! My main goal here is to hopefully have no deaths ):