One of my LFS's used to run one of these on one of their display tanks. Frankly, I was amazed at how quiet it was. Additionally, I was amazed at how big it was too. This is NOT something that you would want in your living room.
This would be fine for someone with an inwall tank or a fish room.
This is very much like an ATS (Algal Turf Scrubber) invented by Walter Adey. As opposed to using a macroalgae like Caulerpa, Chaeto, etc., it is using turf algaes because they are MUCH more efficient absorbers of nutrients. (That's why I always giggle to myself when someone installs a 10 gallon refugium filled with Chaeto to "starve out the hair algae" in a 90 gallon display tank).
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This is going to have the same benefits and same bad points as an ATS.
Benefits:
Natural Oxygenation of the water
pH buffer if run off-cycle from the main tank
It will absorb Nitrates, phosphates, Ammonium
Downfalls:
It is not effecient at exporting Dissolved Organic Compounds
It will actually release some DOC's that wouldn't have been in the system had you not installed this unit.
One of the DOC's it releases is called Gelbstoff (German) or Gilvus (Latin) which are basically a fancy way of saying "Ugly Yellow and Green stuff"
You would have to run a LOT of Carbon to keep your display tank clean and/or run all return water through an Ozone reactor. (I personally would do both).
Many higher algaes reproduce via sporulation. Most turf algaes
primarily reproduce via abscission which is a fancy way of saying fragmentation.
Quote:
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The simplest method of asexual reproduction is vegetatively through abscission. Every once in awhile, when a frond or fragment of the plant gets broken off, the base will close itself off (see wound healing in the morphology section) and develop into a rhizoid. The fragment will eventually become a gametophyte, but not all fronds/fragments that break off from the main plant will become gametophytes.
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Because we have no choice but to harvest the turf algae if we want a nutrient export, and we know that fragments can become new turf algaes in the display tank, I would also run all return water through a massive UV Filter as well to nuke any fragments.
In short, I have no desire to own one of these. I would have to buy an oversized UV Filter to prevent fragments of the turf algae from making it to the tank. I would have to build a Carbon Reactor and an Ozone reactor so my display tank is clear water as opposed to yellow/green. The concept is intriguing IMO but it works best when it's left as a concept.
The obvious argument against my summary would be, you've never used one so what makes you so sure that is going to happen. I cannot say for sure. In fact, I don't even know why my LFS removed theirs. I can say this. Walter Adey has experienced major hair algae and green water at 5 or 6 public aquariums using this technology. I've also been to the only place still using ATS technology (Inland Aquatics) 10~12 times and they have green water and hair algae out the wazoo. The public aquariums that started with this technology aren't using it anymore. They are using massive protein skimmers, carbon, ozone towers, etc. I'm more than happy to stay with my protein skimming and carbon.
EDIT:
While I was sincere in not wanting this on one of my tanks, I want to point out that Adey's research was not in vain.
Some people took his concept of utilizing turf algaes for nutrient export and have SUCCESSFULLY used this technology in eutrophic lakes and waterways that are already loaded with algaes.
The Eco-Wheel Aquarium Filter 
