help need answer quick

[sweetdawn]

ok my reef tank is having major problems. the heater i bought for the tank was bad and the tank was 90 degrees when i got up. my beautiful field of pulsing xenias is in major meltdown i have done water changes I have suctioned out the ones that were totally desintagrating. my nitrates are now high but i have done major water changes and they have not come down. alot of my xenias are losing their heads I took a handful of plants out of my other tank and put them in there to help with the nitrates i am thinking i should go to the petstore and get some nitrate absorbing stuff for the tank. and my main question i have metal halide lights should i put the pc back on while my tank is recovering from this problem. is the metal halide going to be hard on the xenias while they are struggling to survive

 

[speg]

Ya know.. the damage to the xenia was probably already done. Most likely all of them that are dying will die, without any hope.. although some may survive and you may notice some popping up in odd places around the tank.. these will grow and recreate the colony.
It is weird how your nitrates went so high so fast... did you check your nitrates recently before this accident?
Nitrate sponges can be used, water changes, using plants would be the slowest process.

 

[sweetdawn]

my nitrate always hovers around 20 and this started three days ago what about the lights should i take the metal halide down and put the pc on for a couple of days

 

[1journeyman]

I wouldn't change lighting and further stress anything...