exactly the problem will fishy cycling. it takes a LONG time, because you have to keep the ammonia so low. I strongly reccomend you get the fish you have in thier out of there, for their sake. then it doesn't matter how high your ammonia is, and all you have to do is test once a day to see how it's progressing, and provide a source of ammonia (decaying fish food, salad shrimp, pure ammonia,ect.)how many? if the ammonia is only at .25ppm how can the bacteria that fights it build up.