Im already thinking of a zoa garden on the bridges and the base of one of the rocks, so an acan or mushroom would be okay with like 50 par?
You are asking the wrong person for Advice on Acans. I have killed all the Acan's I bought.
There is one piece of Advice I will give you. When you seek your Holy Grail of Advice in this complex and multi-variable hobby.....or when it drops on your lap from someone posting a reply . Do your own homework, and research from quality authorities with proven track records, and most importantly long term success history.
I find it a bit discouraging that some folks just throw out advice, just to look like they know something. I respect their eagerness to help, but it doesn't away end up being help. Quite the opposite some times.
Even then when you get good advice, there are many factors in your personal setup that may not result in the same success.
Most people can buy/setup a tank. Anyone can buy quality corals and take a photo of them within a week or a couple of months. However not everyone has those corals a year or more later, and even less folks have those corals grow, keep colors, and even multiply. I've been around long enough to see even the best reefers end their reefing due to a hobby ending failure over long term. Some try, try and try again (like me).
Thus in my case, and most likely in your case, some (small but many) failures along the way is where we get our training, experience to hone our skills and opportunity to get better each time. I think it's necessary to experience failures (all kinds) to avoid a more serious, large scale failure at a later date. I'm not saying plan for failures, just expect them, and accept them.
To me besides my lack of Stability (due to constant tinkering with my tank), I feel that after 20+ years running a tank, I'm beyond a novice. I am an Expert on all failures (most of them).
I feel that one of the skills that is most difficult to master, and truly differentiates, and graduates a (Reefer) to a (A Master Reefer or GURU), is knowing Coral Placement. There are just too many varieties, and even within a species , minute different factors for success.
Those experts can sense their corals talking, waving, smiling and crying. No science, just by feel/instinct. I'm like that with some LPS/Euphyila. When it comes to SPS, they can have sirens blasting, strobes flashing and I'm deaf and blind.
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So to answer your Acan question, my limited experience is they are super finicky. I had two and one would open up like a beautiful peacock tail, the other scrunch up like a ball.
A slight movement, to a higher/lower place (lighting) would change things. Same with position adjustments for flow. When you play with placement, give the Acan (or any coral time to acclimate). I would say 1 month miniumum, unless you see something seriously wrong. Worst thing is to move every other day and look for positive reaction (you rarely will).
Eventually I did find placement that made both happy. Of course I found other ways of killing them. I think the killer was a few falls as I move them around (and didn't glue them down). If they fall face down, on sharp rocks, that leads to tissue damage, and that can lead to infections, etc.
Of course as you say feeding Acans is another factor for success. In those past days, I would both spread feed, and then with a syringe (two little fishies is the best) target feed, powdered coral foods. That got all my corals crazy drunk happy. The downside to feeding corals in a tank is it will slowly, but evenntually lead to other problems like algae and propagation of unwanted pests like Aptasia, or Colonial Hydriods.
As far as Mushrooms. They will grow anywhere, in all lighting. They acclimate. But best to always start in low light, medium flow. Too low flow and they get just too big.
Look at my LPS/mixed tank photo. Mushrooms on bottom, middle, and Top.
Some of those mushroom barely get light. Years ago, I had MH lighting and they grew like crazy at the Top (so much that I had to prune and throw them out). Funny thing is those hairy mushrooms I used to throw out. I still have a garden of them on my right top rocks. Everytime they multiply too much, I cut and trade them at Local fish store for Credit. Get about $30-50 each. Man if I only kept those I threw out.
Zoas? I know nothing. Tried so many, and they are a mystery to me. Some do good, and others not. I think one factor is you need a semi-dirty nutrient rich tank (which is also true for Mushrooms/Acans).
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All the best. Keep learning, and have fun.
Sorry for the Long, Blah-Blah reply. That's just me.
