Lighting a deep tank for softies/LPS

[NutsoFish]

I have a 77gal tank that I'd like to use for a softies/LPS reef. I can only fit 36-40" bulbs in the canopy even though the tank is 48" long (canopy is shaped weird). Current lighting is 2 x 40w T8 6700k and 2 x 39w T5HO actinic+ bulbs. The tank is 24" deep.

What can I keep under this amount of light? I'm thinking mushrooms, leathers, xenia and gsp...but will torch and candycanes be happy too? Maybe some lower light zoas? Will everything have to be in the top half of the tank b/c it's so deep? Thanks for any advice!

 

[jefathome]

You could do Zoa's in there, but they will tend to not be quite as bright. Any leather would be fine... Torch, Frogspawns, Candy's will work if you keep them in the top half.

 

[divewsharks]

are you planning on changing the lights out for something new/better, all T5's or MH? if you do and use quality kit, you keep whatever you wanted directly under the lights and lower light stuff off to the sides.

 

[NutsoFish]

Thanks for the replies. I want a simple, lower light reef, no intentions of getting into higher light corals. I just wanted to make sure that I can actually keep some healthy corals under half NO and half T5 lighting. If I can't keep the LPS the way it is, I might upgrade the NO bulbs. If you're pretty sure I can keep the mushrooms and leathers happy, then maybe I should post in the LPS for the rest.

 

[divewsharks]

you can keep mushrooms yes, and some leathers not all, there are some that do really like like. there are some other LPS you could keep, but you'd want to keep those under the T5's.