What will eat algae off substrate?

I have some cone snails and one emerald crab that eat algae off the glass and rocks, but my live sand gets covered with diatoms and I am looking at something that will eat the algae off that. Would a hermit crab do the trick? Shrimp? Anything?

 

Sand Sifting Species Cost v Benefit

 

Super Tongan Nassarius Snail. You have to have a lot of them to be effective, but they love digging in the sand!

 

Yeah, but they don't eat it, they just turn the sand over.
I'm assuming this is a fairly new tank, and in any case the diatoms will burn themselves out soon enough.

 

Yeah, the tank is 3 months old, but even after a gravel vac it grows back right away. I started GFO about 3 weeks ago so I know that will help eventually, but wouldn't mind a creature or two to help along the way.

 

Diatoms consume silicate. When the silicates are consumed (from sand, powerheads, etc.), the diatoms will go away.

 

Try a Diamond Goby :thumb_up:

 

Yes, the tank is only 3.5 months old.