Snails to tidy up diatoms.....??

[fishmom]

We continue to sit and wait for the tank to "settle" after the recent disaster :death:......water parameters are getting better and better each day.

There are currently no fish in the tank...just crystal clear water and a bunch of really pretty LR--still somewhat covered with leftover diatoms.

I intend to wait until after Christmas to start 're-stocking' the tank but did want to get a few snails and ??? to begin working on the rocks.
1) Any suggestions for a snail with an appetite for diatoms?

2) With no fish--no nasty crushed coral (new live sand) I want something that can "live" off of the rocks......nothing much else in there to "clean"....
Thanks,
~debi~
P.S. Are there any little creatures besides snails that would do the job? :helm2:

 

[little_fish]

Inverts like snails and crabs are even more sensitive to bad water quality than fish, so you should wait until the end of your cycle to add them. The diatoms live off of silica, so once that is used up it will go away on its own. This should take about a week, but if you tap or well water that might have more silica in it then it may take longer.

Also you should wait to add your CUC until you see some algae growth or add fish, otherwise they will starve to death.

Just be patient, nothing good happens fast in this hobby.