How many inverts for my tank?

[BaileyB]

Ive decided not to get hermit crabs or any at all for a cleaning crew, going all snail with a couple different types:

• 3 Spiny Star Astraeas
• 5 nassarius snails
• 2 banded trochus snails

Some people say 1 per gallon others say more, others less. With sand and rock i'm assuming my 20 gallon will be holding around 17-18 gallons.

So what do you guys think experiences with number of snails per gallon. is this enough snails or should I add more?

basically will these snails keep my 20G clean from detritus and other particles?
also do any of these tend to knock over rock or anything?

thanks guys!

 

[Old Fritz]

if the tank is brand new they may actually starve from a lack of food. However that is a good number of snails for a cleanup crew. However I will always recommend hermit crabs as they eat any fallen food pretty much immediately instead of letting it waste away in the water. However I have done just snails before and they do a good job of dealing with algae and the nassarius do an amazing job of getting the crap that gets below my sand bed.

 

[davocean]

I would add about 5 ceriths to that list, maybe a couple nerites

 

[Reefbuds]

Add a few margaritas. They have always been great for me

 

[sp1187]

1 strawberry or tiger conch

 

[sp1187]

 

[Sailingeric]

This a good video from BRS on cuc.

 

[davocean]

BRS always makes great informative vids, and even though this is an easy topic generally for me, had to watch, and neat to see the difference between trochus and astrea, especially as astrea has long been one of my go to's, may reconsider that.
I agree don't go too many at first, my comment on ceriths was mainly because they are small, but effective, and I do choose snails that do different things in different places, nassaurius one of my favs as well, and they come out of sand like zombies from the grave when food is placed, otherwise they are in that sand bed taking care where most do not.