Lightsluver is correct, ammonia and nitrites should be zero. How long has this tank been set up?
Ammonia, Nitrite and nitrates are all part of your nitrogen cycle. Wastes from fish(pee pee and poo poo) create ammonia, in a healthy and properly running tank, that ammonia is then converted into nitrite, which in turn is converted into nitrates. Nitrates don't convert into anything so that is one reason why we do water changes, to help remove those nitrates.
A lot of folks run refugiums with macro algaes in them. Mine has chaetomorphia in it, lit 24 hours a day. Chaeto consumes PO4(phosphates) and NO3(nitrates) so this also helps keeping those numbers in check.
So when you hear someone say that you need to wait for the "cycle" that is what they are talking about, the nitrogen cycle. So if this is a new tank, your are likely still going through your initial cycle. Just give it time, bring your salinity up slowly to 1.026, also like lightsluver said, don't dump the salt water you have, especially if you are getting a bigger container, just dump it in there and add more water to bring it down to 1.026 then make more SW in that can. I use, and like, the gray Brut Rubbermaid 32 gallon garbage cans. All I did when I got it was rinsed and washed it down a little bit with vinegar, rinsed it out real well and let it dry, then put it into use.
I hope all of this makes sense and helps
Good luck