LEDs have taken over mixed reefs

Walk a reef shop in 2026 and the metal halide pendants are gone from the new-tank wall. Controllable LEDs are the default, including on mixed reefs that used to be sold with a single blue-heavy bar.

What keepers are actually changing is the schedule. A shorter blue period, a wider full-spectrum window through the middle of the day, and less chasing of more PAR once the corals are already coloured. SPS still wants intensity. Soft corals and LPS often colour better when the peak is pulled back and the photoperiod stays consistent.

If a tank is new, set the schedule once and leave it for a month. Coral colour is a slow signal.