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I am trying to plan a tank and I am interested in having some corals.I haven't even started this project yet,but I am in the planning stages.I don't want anything hard to take care of.And if I can have something that would not require MH lighting that is great.I am really interested in polyps,mushrooms,and other soft corals.Also maybe something that clowns would like.I know clowns will host with certain soft corals.The tank is going to be either a 75 or 90 gallon.It will have atleast VHO lighting,but like I said I am trying to avoid MH's.Any suggestions are welcome!

Well if you can get 3 or 4 4ft VHO's on the tank you will probably be able to go with just about any soft coral you like. Most softies don't prefer MH anyways, so it seems you are in a good situation for yourself.

Like you said, mushrooms, leathers, zoanthids, xenia, etc. should all do well for you. Even a number of hard corals will do fine in that light - most of the brains would do well, most acans, up closer to the surface would do fine. I'd just stay away from sps, and make sure whatever you get, position it where it is going to receive the most beneficial light/flow situation.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Would 440 watts of VHO lighting on a 90 gal be ok for softies? Not enough for Anemones though right?

If you want anemones I'd suggest 2 150w Halides, or more than that preferably.

The 440w of VHO will be plenty for softies, yes.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

I was told that a BTA would be fine with that lighting.That is really the only anemone I am interested in.

The anemone really needs more intense light than what VHO bulbs can offer. I agree that you should hold off on one unless you upgrade the lighting system.

Maybe go for a softy that looks somewhat like an anemone? Certain mushrooms and leather corals have the look going for them.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

You could pick up a T5 system that would be good enough for GBT anenome's.

"Party it up, Drink it down"

If you go with t5s they have to be HO and have individual parabolic reflectors. Otherwise they're just the same as other types of flourescent lighting. A good t5 setup will probably still cost more than halides. I think the prices are coming down though.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

You really can't get any hardier than zoos, which I think might actually grow out of water if given the chance...
Also, sarcophyton corals are very hardy, along with glove polyps and mushroom corals. Halimeda, which is not a coral but a type of macro, comes highly recommended. I have a huge clump of halimeda that about doubles in size every month (it makes for a LOT of trimming. One time I left it alone for a while and when I finally got around to pruning it filled up an entire five gallon bucket!! ). You have to supplement calcium, but I hope that you're planning on doing that already- kalk is very easy to use and helps a ton. The really neat thing about the hali is when it gets big enough, my protein skimmer basically stops skimming because there wasn't enough gunk in there.
In any case, everything I've mentioned does swimmingly under PC lights, and is definitely very easy to care for. My reef tank is not with me at the moment (I'm in college) and it seems to be doing very well under the care of the unexperienced fish keeper I left it with.
Good luck-!

[EDIT: holy #$%@ I had no idea this thread was so old! Whoa. Oh well, hopefully someone learned SOMETHING from my post... ]

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"When push comes to shove, you gotta do what you love, even if it's not a good idea"

It is an old post but the only thing I kind of disagree with is having to supplement calcium. I use Oceanic Salt and never have to supplement my calcium. Weekly PWC`s is all that is needed in my 10 yrs of experience. My calcium stays around 450 to 480 doing just PWC`s.

Halimeda sucks the calcium right out of the water... I've always used instant ocean salt and I usually supplement a small amount of calcium. It's an open top "pool" aquarium, so it loses a lot of water. I just dissolve a little kalk in my RO top off water.

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"When push comes to shove, you gotta do what you love, even if it's not a good idea"

I have a few calcium users myself. But still able to keep it at good levels with Oceanic PWC`s.

http://www.fantasyreef.com/userpage.php?do=main&userid=79

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Good luck on your tank. It sounds like a nice tank.