Ammonia at 0.25 ppm is not very high. Considering the large number of gallons of water and the few fish you have, the whole system will take some time to cycle.

I would expect with your low fish to gallons of water ratio that once it has cycled, the Ammonia and Nitrite levels will be so low as to indicate near zero; and it will take some time for your Nitrates levels to come up to planting levels.

As to your question on another post this morning, you may not have enough bio-filter to support a larger amount of fish.

I wouldn't worry about the pH, for it is in a good range for the bacteria to multiply and the nitrification process will slowly bring it down. Please stop trying to control everything in your system, let nature take its course. Once you have it properly set up, you only need to feed it with some starter bacteria, fish and fish food, and perhaps some MaxiCrop plus iron later on for the plants. Start out with green leafy veggies (no flowering plants until later) and watch your chemistry.

As to plants, it is too early for there to be any plants in your grow beds, for there are not enough nutrients to support them. Wait until your Nitrates are around 10 to 20 ppm before planting, otherwise, you will experience what you have experienced.

Make sure the water you put in your system is chlorine free. Yes, I know it will evaporate and is only a small amount, but it will interfere with what you are trying to do in this early stage of system cycling.

You must have patience for nature is on its own time schedule.

Oliver