Edwan.... I think it's not apples and apples.. Subdividing colonies (fragging them) to get a highter over all polyp/month count really is worthless unless your goal is to grow lots of frags for trading or selling. If you have a display tank with, which is what most are interested in, it's a whole different topic really. (wich was the original topic I think, sorry if I hijacked at all
)
I think there are other aspects to look at too. Verticle growth rate vs. horizontal growth rate? If the zoas are growing up a rock at a verticle angle vs. if they are growing on a flat horizontal outward pattern. How will that effect growth?
Another variable that I can see making a big difference is the surface of the rock that you are trying to get them to grow accros. I would think that if the mat had to grow across a rock that was full of pits and was very pourus, it might take longer to grow across than it would if was on a flat, smooth surface. Just thinking that the zoanthids would have to generate more tissue to fill in the pourus cracks and whatnot. Again, this isn't even something I have tried or looked into. Just some other ideas I am tossing around.
Another thing a couple other coral farmers and I have talked about was light cycles. Someone is trying this now, can't remember who, and I also plan on doing some experimenting once I get a more controlled system that will be able to accomodate this. The thought is, will zoas grow faster if they have say like instead of 1, 12:12 light cycel per day. They would have a 6 on, 6 off, 6 on, 6 off light cycle every day. Don't know if it will do anything, just something that a couple of us thinks might lead to something. I have a hunch that it's going to improve growth rates a lot. It's just a hunch though, nothing to back that up. That experiment is TOP on my list of things to do, but I want to have a more controlled environement before I even start so I can come closer to concluding that they new growth is due to light cycles rather than some other parameter that I dind't have enough controll over. I think this is going to have to be at least 6 months min. project, probably a full year, before I would be able to have enough growth and data to actuallly get some good conclusions.
anyway, enough rambling again... need to get some work done.