guys you think this is better than skimmer

[h20 freak]

From what I understand from the reading i have done is that ample light (2-T5) and correct flow is all that is needed. The initial time to establish a bed of algae could be a down side.

I also read a down side was it would produce voluminous abouts of copopods. The author implied that was a bad thing? I thought those were a good food source?

One more question. If to do it correct requires 2 lights and a pump I would that be more energy consumption than a skimmer? Would LEDs be inexpensive enough in that color range to make their use feasible?

I'm thinking of just adding this to my fuge with the same light I use to grow chaeto(simple fluorescent bulb, the kind being advertised to save energy).

The pods are a sort of downside because they eat the turf but otherwise are a great bonus, he was meaning that you should "clean" them out of the screen, a nice snack for your tank.