Maybe I am missing something but it seems straight forward.
Add some top off daily and bring down the SG or just bring down outright, since you have no live stock.
The nitrogen cycle is underway, no need for shrimp. Add a couple pellets a each day to assist in enlarging the biological filter.
It's not an either or, just top off.
PS: It's not a stupid question. You can not mess anything up by topping off or adding a couple of pellets of food.
