First Attempt at Cider

Hey everybody. This is my first post and not coincidentally my first batch of homebrew. Right now I am in the middle of my first batch of homemade hard cider. To prepare I went out and bought all the necessary supplies including (2) 3 gallon glass carboys, hydrometer, etc.

For the cider I used:
3 gallons of Zeigler's Cider (No preservatives, pasteurized).
1 packet of Nottingham's yeast, no starter.

Here's a quick overview of what's happened so far:

Target Cider: Sweet, still. ABV 3.4%(FG 1.020) – 4%(FG 1.015).

11/15/09
OG: 1.046
Temp: 78°F
Poured 3 gallons of Zeigler’s cider into primary carboy.
Pitched packet of Nottingham’s yeast into carboy.
Covered with towel.

11/18/09
Gravity: 1.030

11/20/09
Gravity: 1.020
Transferred cider to secondary carboy leaving sediment at bottom.
Put in fridge at 40°F.

Today it looked as if a lot of sediment has fallen to the bottom, but the cider was still cloudy and looked no different. I plan on siphoning off cider into the other carboy and letting it age at room temp. until December 21 or so.

1)Is this long enough for it to mellow out a bit?
BTW I do plan on saving a couple bottles for spring or so.

2)Will gravity stay at 1.020 assuming no fermentation occurs later?

Any tips, criticisms, and/or comments welcomed. Thanks guys.

I've never made cider. However, I would not think that only 5 days is primary would be long enough for the yeast to do it's work. If you're aiming for a sweet cider, you'll probably get that - but it won't be clear. If the yeast had a chance to do all it's work, it'd probably clear up but wouldn't be as sweet.

If you are aging it at room temperature without killing the yeast, I would imagine it would drop in gravity over time, as the yeast will still be in there doing work.

It will mellow a bit but not too much at all. Ciders take months, for the most part, to age properly.

Gravity will not stay at 1.020. This is still very heavy for it to be finished. Take the cider out of the fridge for another week or so. That should let fermentation finish up. Then transfer it again and age that. Try this cider, Very good.https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f81/edworts-apfelwein-33986/

Actually if you want a sweet cider with around 3% ABV your on track. Cold crashing that your doing now will drop out most of the yeast and you can rack again to keep it somewhat stable.
I would not bottle into wine bottles in case some yeast picked back up but I would recommend using cleaned out 2 litre soda bottles, they work great for me.

I have found that most commercial ciders are a SG of around 1.010, so yours might be a little sweeter. And may not have to age too long at all to be drinkable due to the lower ABV and sweeter taste. It may be cloudy, but drinkable.

I like mine dry as a bone in the desert, it keeps other people from drinking all of it.

I fermented a gallon of zeigler's cider with Red Star's Montrachet, 12/5-12/14. OG was the same as your's 1.046, FG was 1.002. It is still cloudy, tastes like white table wine and has a slight aroma of apples. Tastes similar to Eds Apfelwein, I am going to put it in the fridge and let it settle for a few days before the holidays start and it disappears.