[cody6766]

I like ATI bulbs. I have a 6 bulb arranged like this, back to front:

Aquablue Special
Blue Plus
Actinic
Purple Plus
Aquablue Special.

If I had 8 bulbs, I'd probably start with this:
Blue Plus
Purple Plus
Aquablue Special
Blue Plus
Actinic
Purple Plus
Actinic
Blue Plus

Blue Plus misses some of the pop that a true actinic bulb brings to the table. The Aquablue Special can be pretty dominant over the others, so use them carefully. I'd probably buy an extra Blue Plus, AB Special, and Purple Plus to play with the bulb arrangement and blend. With these bulbs, it's pretty much all about the color. All of them are high PAR bulbs except the actinic, so whatever combo you settle on will work just fine.

For reference, I like my tanks less blue than most people set their LED-lit tanks. Mine is probably a straddling what a 20000K MH Bulb and T5 combo used to look like...maybe a little more blue, maybe a little less. Adding Blue Plus bulbs will bring you to the LED Windex look.

Before anyone gets their panties twisted, I know LEDs can be adjusted and many LED tanks aren't all blue. That said, a lot of people like to dial the blues up because they can and the corals pop more. That's why I used it as a reference example. I get it, it's just not how I like my tank to look.

Edit: An 8 bulb fixture will grow anything you want. You won't have any issues with SPS low in the tank or clams on the sandbed.