Need help with lion tank

[angel9620]

I have a volitan and fu man chu lionfish in a 55 gal. With them I have a toadfish and a kole tang. Crush coral as subtrate, about 45lb live rock, a magnium 350 filter, just added a sea clone 100 to replace a skilter skimmer, power head with wave maker, and a uv stirlizer. No amonia, no nitrite, ph is good, do vaccum and water changes every week. But I can't get my nitrates down. I have been feeding my volitan feeder fish cause he won't eat anything else. The toad and fu man chu just like them so I have been giving them feeder as well. The kole I feed flake food.
So here are my questions,
1- how do I get my nitrates down? I have tried purigen bags but took out when I took out the skilter just this week.
2- what to do to help loinfish, the volitan is on the bottom breathing hard and won't eat anything. The toad and fu man hu are both breathing hard but acting ok and eating.
3- I have these things that look like clear tubes coming off my live rock and some that look like tiny white feather dusters. They seem to be stinging my kole tang I think cause since seeing them in tank he has alot of places on him like he has been stung.
PLEASE HELP! ADVICE NEEDED!

 

[surfinusa]

First off you are extremely overstocked you need to get rid of all the fish except the fu manchu. All the others will get way to large for a 55. And im sure all the fish are sick because you are so crowded.

 

[kanicky]

Ditto on being overstocked.
Also, you need to wean your lionfish off of feeders ASAP, especially if you mean that you're using freshwater feeders, as they cause fatty liver disease in saltwater fish. You can use dead feeders or freeze dried silversides on a feeding stick to simulate live fish, and then go from there. Your lionfish will eventually learn to take "regular food."
Hopefully someone else can help you with the other issues.

 

[angel9620]

Originally Posted by surfinusa
First off you are extremely overstocked you need to get rid of all the fish except the fu manchu. All the others will get way to large for a 55. And im sure all the fish are sick because you are so crowded.
I am moving the lionfish to a 125 soon. All aren't any where near full size so I don't think this is the case yet although I know what you are saying.

 

[95harley]

Besides being overstocked and feeding feeders (bad as stated above). I know you don't want to here this but get rid of the crushed coral and replace with Argonite. Trust me, I had the same issues...and as painful as it was to remove and replace 'm glad I did it.
That stuff always just held clouds of junk and drove up the Nitrates.

 

[lion_crazz]

The crushed coral is causing such problems, as well as the high fish load in the 55. I would strongly suggest you begin the process of removing the crushed coral. Also, stop feeding the feeders immediately. The only live thing you should offer the lions are gut loaded ghost shrimp, and that is only until you have them weaned to frozen food.