Oh no, not a good thing to come home to...

[yosemite sam]

OK, not the homecomming I've been looking for. I've been gone out of the country for about 9 weeks and left my tanks under the care of my girlfriend. During weekly checkups she said that everything was fine, but coming home today, I found things quite the opposite. Most of the corals in my 75 gallon tank are in bad shape and have bleached. Apparently, most of this has occured in the last month. I did a water check and levels seem good:
SG: 1.025
PH. 8.3
Alk 3.5
PO 0
Nitrates 0
Nitrites 0
Amonia 0
Calcium 400
The temperature was really high, 86!!!!! I turned off the lights and let things cool down, and the tank is now at 81. Apparently my girlfriend has left the swamp cooler off for the last few weeks. Argh. Anyway, here are some pictures of the before and after damage.

I took today's pictures after have just turned the lights back on, so things look a little off, but obviously the corals have no color at all. Is there anything I can do about this? The lights in the tank are only about 4 or 5 months old, so I don't think that is the problem. I've never had heat issues before, so I don't know if this is the problem or not. Any and all help is appreciated!!
YS.
P.S. Rye, the camera worked great, thanks again for all your help!

 

[michaeltx]

I think with proper maintance for awhile alot of those will come back. the main one in the pics that might have a really hard time is the anemone. with it just keep trying to feed it hopefully it will take food. mine looks exactly like yours and its lost its sticky in the tenticals and cant hold on to the food.
sorry to hear about the tank though I am sure other people will have some more Ideas though.
good luck
Mike

 

[foulbrew]

Were the lights left on during your absense, it looks as though they were bleached by too much light? I don't think heat would do that? I think they'll comeback with the possible exception of the anenome.

 

[bdhough]

I think corals bleach when undo stress is placed on them. Find out how long the lights were left on. Leaving the corals at such a high temperature over a long period will certainly cause them to be stressed.

 

[nerdy]

It seems like we all have to prperly "Train" a back up person to take care of our tanks when we are absent. I myself am fortunate that my best friend and me got into this hobby at the same time about 5 years ago. So when each other is away we take care of each others tank. My wife is an idiot (please don't let her read this) and I wouldn't leave my tank in her care. I am sure that with the proper care you will have your corals back in no time!

 

[joker]

watch it nerdy!! she might be spying over your shoulder
hehehehe

 

[spsfreak100]

The corals look as if they haven't had much lighting, and have lost most (if not all) of their zooxanthellae. Under the proper conditions and lighting, they should come back within a matter of weeks or months.
Take Care,
Graham