i started with live rock 11 years ago and i still have hair algae in my tank.... next go i will use dry rock and deal with going slow
JeepGuy...I had similar experience approx 20 yrs ago with aiptasia after starting 4 yrs before with live rock. Aiptasia might have entered tank on rocks added later with corals. After 17 yrs out of the hobby I started again with dry rock. Then had a long battle with hair algae trying various snails, hermits and I finally got rid of the hair algae when I added carbon dosing reducing nutrients way down (zero nitrates, zero phos). Starved the hair algae. Now slowly backing off the carbon dosing to help the corals.
With the lack of diversity the dry rock start isn't as pretty or interesting as the live rock start was. But pest risk not completely removed as I might bring pests in as I add corals. For now I'm using lazy man's modification of Mike Paletta's method (Bayer and CoralRx). Not sure what kind of rock I'll use if I start another tank. I count myself fortunate to be in a position to have such problems.