what to do???

Do a water change and run carbon like Kelly said. There's really no need to panic because you will see this same scenario again the next time you add fish.
Can I ask what are your pH and temp?

 

my ph is 8.0 and temp is 25c
i already have carbon in my canister filter

 

Having any ammonia reading after adding livestock is not ok or normal. You probably added too much livestock too fast and now the bacteria need to catch up. There's nothing much you can do. If you try to neutralize the ammonia, then you will only prolong this process. Also, don't do water changes, that will also prolong the process as you are only diluting the ammonia and you will encounter constant issues with it. Basically, just wait it out. The clown should be ok, but the shrimp are more sensitive, so they may have more problems. This is one of the reasons that livestock must be added slowly to a tank, especially a new tank. Hopefully everything turns out well.

 

some people say its normal to have a spike when new fish are added some say it isnt what am i to believe

i will test the water everyday,the ammonia spike was at 0.25pmm this morning but tonight its a lighter shade than the 0.25pmm on the result card but the colour i have is not on there but its a very light green but not at 0.i use the api marine liquid test kit and the chart goes from 0pmm straight to 0.25pmm and id say its inbetween the 2 of them.

i will feed them once every other day and see how it goes fingers crossed.

 

Every time you add a new fish, your Ammonia is going to go up. On well-established systems, the nitrifying bacteria population increases so fast that they can never even see the spike with normal hobbyist test kits. In effect, both answers are correct.

 

Here's 3 of the books in my library.
The Conscientious Marine Aquarist
Complete Book of the Marine Aquarium
Reef Secrets

Here's a pic of my tank I took yesterday. I followed Drs. Foster and Smith plan for setting up a reef. i.e. 50% w/c every week til cycled then 10% weekly but I've changed to 25% every two weeks now. I added the two clowns..had a mini cycle, two weeks later added my goby, had a very small spike, 2 weeks after that added my tang, if it spiked I missed it.


I'm not even close to being an expert on reef keeping but am as much an expert as the average hobbiest. One thing I've learned that I feel is the most valuable is research everything and never take the advice of anyone unless you can back it up with information from well known experts in the hobby.
Water change is the fastest safest way to remove toxins. It does nothing to hurt cycles or slow them down or whatever in my opinion. My system cycled with mail order live rock and a prawn in just under 4 weeks.
These are my opinions and the debate is never ending...

 

i also cycled with live rock and prawns.

so the fact that the ammonia has dropped from 0.25 to a lower lightish green colour on my test chart not sure what the exact reading is as i stated before it goes from 0 straight to 0.25 since this morning must be a good sign.
shall i wait till the morning as it is nearly 10pm here
i will test the water.if the result is even lower shall i just leave it?

 

yep

yep

yep

 

Yes if it's dropping your nitrites should be showing a little spike now. If it's dropping this fast and your doing your tests correctly this will be over by the morning. And the next fish you add will cause another mini cycle but less traumatic lol.

 

thanks i will test in the morning a post a reply on this thread and let you know what the results are.