Live rock or dry rock and best deal

[tess24278]

I'm starting up a new saltwater tank, 36gal bow. I dont plan on going all out on corals because my house does not have a generator and I live in a small town where I will probably lose electricity more often than before. Does it make a difference if I get dry rock as opposed to live rock?
Also where is the best place to get rock, I know starting up salt is not cheap but I still want to find the best deals. I checked out Marco Rocks which was suggested by the guy I go to at my LFS. They are about half the price of my LFS but they have a weekly CherryScape which goes for .99/lb however every time I check no matter how close to the time they actually put it up it's sold out. Has any one had any luck purchasing that? Anyone comparable?

 

[Otherone]

I started with 2/3 rds dry/base rock and 1/3 live to save money and aviod unwanted hitchikers. Within 2 -3 months the coraline spread to the baserock. I'm at 130 lbs of rock now and would like to be @ 180lbs when all's said and done. I don't/won't use LR ro finish off the stack. Too many lil' critters like worms and nudibranches come with it. At this piont Baserock's the way I'm goin'.

In the begining however the LR starts the cycling process and introduces the colorful coraline algae. Once the biology starts growin' it'll grow just as fast on base as it does live.

 

[Pazzoman]

I started with 2/3 rds dry/base rock and 1/3 live to save money and aviod unwanted hitchikers. Within 2 -3 months the coraline spread to the baserock. I'm at 130 lbs of rock now and would like to be @ 180lbs when all's said and done. I don't/won't use LR ro finish off the stack. Too many lil' critters like worms and nudibranches come with it. At this piont Baserock's the way I'm goin'.

In the begining however the LR starts the cycling process and introduces the colorful coraline algae. Once the biology starts growin' it'll grow just as fast on base as it does live.

+1 Btw worst hitchhiker of them all aiptasi... and now monjano to I have in my tank. This has been an on going war to get rid of them for a year now...a month war with the manjanos lol

 

[Shiroi Katsune]

I went almost 100% live rock when I initially set up my tank, if I had to do it all over again I would go with 100% base rock. Live rock is more trouble and money than its worth and these days there are tons of products to seed your rock. As far as coraline algae it will seed from frag plugs and the like.

 

[FLESHY]

You can order dry rock off of bulk reef supply.

I live out in the middle of no where with a seriously overstocked reef and have never lost anything in 8 years of reefing due to power outages.