clams, reducing nitrate???

[bgcook]

i was curious - do clams really lower nitrates??

i saw a recent thread where one member contributed his low nitrates to numerous clams. i thought that once the clams get larger, the majority of there nutrients come from photosynthesis. is this what reduces the nitrates??

just curious, my nitrates have been slightly elevated (~20) and i have been trying to reduce by the unsual methods and since i have one 4-5 inch crocea and 3 cleaner clams in the refugium would more clams help? i have enjoyed keeping the crocea clam and plan on getting more in the future, no matter if they help or not. my question is just out of curiosity.

thanks

greg

 

[bgcook]

never mind, found some info on the net.

thanks

 

[DouglasTiede]

and the answer is?

 

[bgcook]

sorry douglas, i figured most people in this forum probably new the answer and i was the only one that didn't.

my general impression from the net is that clams, especially large?, do use up nitrates and ammonia from the water. it seems that clam "farms" actually feed there clams a nitrate drip to keep them healthy. it seems that besides being nice to look at, they are helpful in our tanks for nitrate reduction. the only thing is, i never found anything in regards to exactly how helpful. i gut feeling is that they help, but if you have elevated nitrates it probably better to find the source rather than think your clam is going to take care of. they other thing i don't completely understand is - i thought large clams, thus bigger mantle, got most of there energy from photosynthesis, secondary to there high concentration of zooanthella (misspelled). so are the smaller clams, better at nitrate reduction than the larger. anyhow, i don't think it matters that much. personally i like the clams because of the way they look.

on second thought - i have recently added two small (3") clams (one week ago), a crocea and maxima. if my 20 nitrates drops considerably over this past week, perhaps they help more than not. i've been out of town this week, but my fiance says they are doing well. i am going to test the tank when i get home tonight and we will see what happened to the nitrates over the past week.

greg

 

[mbbuna]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9491011#post9491011 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bgcook
i thought large clams, thus bigger mantle, got most of there energy from photosynthesis, secondary to there high concentration of zooanthella (misspelled). so are the smaller clams, better at nitrate reduction than the larger.

all clams (small and large) get most of there energy from photosynthesis. its the zoox that uptakes the nitrogen, so a larger clam that can house a larger population of zoox would have a greater impact on nitrogen levels. however i doubt you will see any difference in nitrogen levels just from adding a few clams.

heres a study that used large clams as the main biofilter. if you figure out the mass of the clams to the water volume you will see you'd need lots and lots of clams.

http://www.spc.int/coastfish/News/Trochus/Trochus8/Trochus8-07.htm

 

[Lion_Babe]

tag

 

[DouglasTiede]

I am quite new to the keeping of clams, I picked up my first one about a week ago now. I had read some before hand, bud had not heard about the nitrate thing until here.
I found a site that is selling clearner clams, If I understand this right there are some that are better at removing nitrates then others.
Thank you for responding to the post.

 

[mbbuna]

"cleaner clams" are more like what you can get at the supermarket. thy are strict filter feeders. there effect on N would be more from taking the particulate out of the water before it brakes down (like a skimmer) then from actually using the N directly

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9494456#post9494456 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DouglasTiede
I am quite new to the keeping of clams, I picked up my first one about a week ago now. I had read some before hand, bud had not heard about the nitrate thing until here.
I found a site that is selling clearner clams, If I understand this right there are some that are better at removing nitrates then others.
Thank you for responding to the post.

 

[RedEyeElf]

if at all