I use Nikon flashes, but they're more or less the same mechanically. I started with the Quantum 6V Battery 1 models, and then went to the Digital Camera Battery with the extra high speed module, which drove the flash like crazy. However, I found all the weight and cables to be cumbersome, so I chucked the whole thing and went to rechargeable AA batteries. While not as fast as the DCB set up, it's fine for shooting weddings and portraits.
I don't use regular non-rechargeable batteries because they're expensive, don't work as well, and when you plow through them as fast as I do, are a ecological nightmare. When you use them a lot, and shoot fast, expect to get two years, three at tops, out of your flashes. There's a temperature scale on my SB-900, and it's almost always pegged in overheat.
David Buzzard