Lets see the Growth!!!
 

Mostly out of curiosity, but also kind of general interest. I have read several people asking how to make their zoanthids spread faster (in fact, I was one too) and the general consensus is that there is really no one situation that can make them grow the fastest as some like more light, some less, some like more flow, some less. So to get an idea of how quickly zoanthids spread, I invite everyone to post their growth pictures. It'd be great if you could put a date to the pictures, like a before and after over a certain period of time. Also, if you could give some brief information on your setup. Flow [low-med-high], Lighting [PC, T5, VHO, MH and Wattage], and position in the tank [low-mid-high]. The age of your tank might be useful as well.

I've only been at this three months, and though I have noticed a few new polyps here and there, I dont have any growth pics but I asure you, as soon as I do, they'll get posted.

Steve

Oct29 2004 / Apr 3 2005 (6 months 5 days or so)
From 50 to 500 polyps. back side is full also. See all in pic gallery (I am also reefkeeper60 with acro pics and other stuff). have 125 different kind of zoos, also see lot more pics on
http://www.reefers.org/album/album.cfm?albumid=46
Tank's set up in August 2004 240 and 120, these two tanks plumbed together,have more tanks since. 7 each PFO 250watt HQI MH 14k. zoo is sitting at bottom of 24 inch deep. etss 1400 commercial skimmer (duel downdraft), three refugiums.two sumps,PM 600 calcium reator,effluint chamber, 20lb bottle co2 w/regultaor, milwauki ph monitor/controller,4 iwaki pumps (7 pumps total 16,000+gph),1/2 hp chiller, 25 watt uv,have 3 icecap 660 and 12 110w vho (building hoods now for all lights 2950 watts total), dose reef plus and small dose iodine,cyclopeez. Still yet another edit. 150 gal water change monthly. total capicity on this two tank system is 440/475 gal. (pending on level in sumps).
temp 78-80
salinity 1.026
ph 7.9/8.1 Day
ammonia 0.0
nitrite 0.0
nitrate 0.0
phosphate 0.0
alk 3.04
cal 400
7 250w MH on 16 hrs day
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/...f_cg__736_.JPG
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/...f_DSC_0224.JPG

Bump and HOLY CRAP. All of that over the course of 6 months! Wow. I can only hope to be half as successful as that. I'd be impressed if I noticed polyps actually growing and spreading let alone covering the rock.

2 months growth
2-14k 175w halides on 12 hrs/day
80-82 degrees
1.026

feb
http://www.piranha-fury.com/photopost/data/500/787a.jpg
april
http://www.piranha-fury.com/photopos.../500/787a2.jpg

I wish I could say all mine have done that well. I have quarter size frags that still quater size in the same six months. Most of mine double about every three to four months.

currently at 605 corals (215 colonies(sps,zoo,lps,3 feather dusters,5 anemone),(164 sps frags most 2 and 3 inch),(226 zoo frags 1 and 3 inch)).

58 gallon
175w 10,000K MH

Day after getting the frag (tank 2 months old);
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...f12-19-046.jpg

10 days later;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...f12-28-044.jpg

4 months later (tank 6 months old);
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...f4-18-2005.jpg

TheMcs, We just recieved 4 or 5 frags of those exact same zoas. They look awesome under actinics, and I am very excited to see them grow. I have a single polyp frag growing on a nice rock, so it will be able to see how fast it grows.

They aren't under actinics in the last picture (actinic setup is shot for some reason). I stuck the rock in a crevice between 3 large pieces of LR, it is on all 3 now. It's a nice morph and has been one of my best growers. I need to get some rubble next to it so I can get some frags. Last time I countes the original 4 polyps are now 30+.

sounds like the statement I made about doubling or tripling in three to four months. Yours looks like 5 polyps to about 12-14 in same time frame.
12polypsx2x4months,x,24polypsx2x4months,x,48polypsx2x4months,so on and so on. Two years should have about 768 polyps.

Just missed your post reefkeeper. Those 4-5 polyps are now 30+. Everytime I "try" to count I find some I missed last time.
Naturally it seems the brighter colors don't spread as fast. I've just got a nice bright orange frag I'm going to keep track of. I'm also curious if placement in regards to neighboring rock has anything to do with it. For example, the colony pictured was wedged in a crevice surrounded by easily accessible bare rock. Will a frag placed alone in the sand or by one piece of rubble grow as fast?

I glued some on dead acropora colony (skelitons) and some other branchie rocks. Seems if water can get inbetween polyps from all sides they grow fast. I try to glue mine to anything branced or porous. They grow fast and it's easy to frag them later.

I know the flater the surface they have to grow on the faster they grow.

seems they grow on anything then.

now if I can get my SPS to grow that fast I can retire.

I've got some polyps on an acro skeleton, that's an awesome look when it fills up. I've heard zoas prefer to grow upwards also. If they grow best upwards and on flat surfaces I need to start gluing them to the back of the tank. Cool look and easy to frag!

Yeah I am going to put some pinks and reds on my side and back glass to color my tank up!

See if you can get them to grow to form the OU logo! :D

That would be so cool but I hope they grow to fast to keep the shape LOL

Check the time stamps.....

In the last pic a frag has already been taken out. I put a rock next to the colony and when the zoos grow on to it I just yank it out(gently:))

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/...ti_8_27_04.JPG
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/...i_10_14_04.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/...ti_3_10_05.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/...cent_pinks.JPG

nice!

Nice growth on those purples, and your cap has also grown nicely too!

Chris

BUMP!!! This is a sweet thread

If you want your Zoa and Paly's to grow quickly give them a good dose of Phytoplankton every day. I found growth doubled when it was added. I use live stuff which is really easy to culture but you can buy it. Your zoo's will love you for it!

Brent

Every day? I thought too much phytoplankton could actually start growing on its own in the tank. Someone on another thread said their water is green from the amount of plankton. Its like its taking in the fuge or something.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-0...ture/index.htm

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...=phytoplankton

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-12/eb/index.htm

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=135137

I dose Phyto & Cyclopeeze everyday, now finally got some DT's oyster eggs so gonna add some of those daily as well

Cheers Shelton.