clams has been shown to thrieve on nitrate, and in well aged , efficient skimming system.
as the clam relied on their zooxanthellae for food, it absorb inorganic and organic nutrient form the water for the zooxanthellae to benefit. such nutrient include ammonia and nitrate and phosphate .
nevertheless, attention should be paid to water quality for clam to thrieve.
nitrate removal can be drastic, if large number of clam are introduce to the aquarium all at one time.
taken from book article from john h. tullock