Cycling Betta tank with Established Filter Media Questions?

[Bettalover333]

Ok, so I decided a few days ago that I'm ready to get another betta fish! (Hooray!) So I went out and bought a 2.5 gallon tank, (the same one I have for my other betta) as well as decorations and a live plant. I put the live plant in my 20 gallon tank just to be safe, is it okay to move it to the 2.5 gallon during cycling? Will the plant die or slow down the process at all?
I introduced established filter media from my other betta tank last night, and my readings as of this morning are:
Nitrate- 0
Ammonia- 0.5
Nitrite- 0
pH- 7.6

Are these okay readings? I was a little surprised by the pH, as in the rest of my tanks it stays right around 7. Does cycling affect the pH? I had thought Ammonia should have been higher too, but maybe not because i just introduced the bacteria last night? Sorry about all of the questions, I've never cycled a tank this way before and I'm also fairly new to the fish world. Thanks a lot!

 

[trennamw]

Did you put ammonia in at all? You'll need either the fish or some ammonia to get it cycled.

The plant should be fine.

I'd have a look at articles on fishless or fish-in cycling, depending on what you are doing.

 

[Bettalover333]

No i only introduced the filter cartridge, which i guess started the cycle, since the ammonia is rising.

 

[Laser]

So is the betta in the new tank yet? Just adding old filter media to a new tank shouldn't cause the ammonia to raise that high unless it was really dirty.

 

[Bettalover333]

No the betta isn't in the tank yet. This cartridge had been in my other tank for about 6 months.