Well, the top 2 tanks on the first "station" will have more lights than the others. That is where we'll keep corals for just propogation. Since the bottom 2 tanks are attached to the same system, we'll keep filter feeders in there - they can use the supplemental feedings that the corals get. We'll have sponges, porcelain crabs, big feather dusters, scallops etc.
The other 4 systems will be relatively the same as far as lighting goes. We're going to have a couple tanks whose "theme" is arthropods (I have 2 different cool little lobsters to put in those), and we'll have gastropod themes, echinoderm themes, annelid themes, symbiotic themes, etc. The students' tanks that aren't reef safe can grow their corals in that first set of coral tanks I mentioned.
Just because a tank has a "theme", that doesn't have to be the only thing in the tank. An "echinoderm" tank might have sea urchins, brittle stars, sea cucumbers, but then students can put what compatible fish they want in it. I'll give them the "theme" critters and will also buy some fish. If they want more, they can buy it. Suprisingly, I have several parents willing to buy things for their child because they want to start up their own salt water tank at the end of the year, and if they buy it, they can keep it.