I'm thinking about setting up a tank with uncured live rock and PC lighting and not putting anything else in to see what comes of it. There's so many different and unusual hitchhikers surely something would come out of it.

I did, that's how I got my anemone eating mantis shrimp

depends where you get your rock from.

If you get it from someone like tampabaysaltwater.com they are known to have very large amounts of life on their rock. Their rock is shipped submerged totally or partially atleast in water. Thuse die off in shipping is almost nothing. It is fairely common to have hitchiker mantis and gobies etc in their rock as well.

I personally have nto ordered from them but i have read plent of indipendent reviews and forums from people whom have. Their stories are all the same. The only complaints i have seen is that some people have received up to 5 or 6 mantis shrimp in a 100 # package.

I do think once air cargo is figured in they are a bit more expensive than others. But your experiment i think could benefit from this type of rock.
I am sure there are other suppliers with similarly rated rock. Best of luck it is an interesting idea.

Read some of the threads here on the Tampa Bay Saltwater forum.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=213

i love tampabay saltwater now i have the benefit of being local and avoiding the shipping charges but i have buddies who have ordered. one ordered 20lbs for his BC29 and it came to right around $8/lb after shipping and box charges. the price per lb would have been less if he had ordered more rock so keep that in mind. also richard(owner of TBS) LOVES to throw extras in his boxes, i got a nice gorgonian and ive seen others get sponges and stuff like that, and this is without ordering "The Package". depending on the tank size i say order as much rock as you will need upfront unless you go ahead and get "The Package" which will include a CUC and TONS of other goodies