I haven't done the AC fuge, but it is roughly the same as my old aquafuge. I had 100 gph or so running through it, which was enough to keep it stirrred, but allowed the macros to stay put. 13 watts of PC worked great for me. Aside from caulerpa, most macros like a little dark time, so I had mine on a reverse photoperiod. It went about an hour before lights out, and went off about an hour after lights on. Because the light came right through, it acted as something of a moonlight, I guess.
Snails are good, hermits are not. The snails will keep the algae down on the macros, and, if you get the little strombus or stomatellas, will also reproduce for you. Hermits will probably be unable to resist the temptation of eating the various worms and wiggly things you want to populate the fuge.
Other things you should add include mysis shrimp and amphipods. If you get a small number of each, they will multiply quickly if they like the conditions.
For macros, I really like chaetomorpha and gracilaria. They grow well, and don't tend to invade the main tank. Caulerpa is OK, but several people here have had problems with it getting into the display and staying there. Plus, it can "go sexual" and fill the tank with milky yuck. A possible advantage of caulerpa over chaeto is that it is attached by a holdfast, rather than floating around.
