Live rock from
tampa bay saltwater is loaded with arc mussels (as well as other critters. Some good, some not so). I doubt that Mytilus edulis would do all that well in typical reef setups, it would be quite a bit too warm, I think. As far as removing all the particulate matter, largely they concentrate it and deposit it as "pseudofeces", which is then free to release nutrients back into the water. To "remove" it, they would need to incorporate it into their bodies. Undoubtedly, they do this, but I think that algae would be a much faster way to increase biomass, decreasing nutrients, than molluscs. At least THESE molluscs. Zebra mussels, on the other hand, are wicked good at rapid increases in biomass, so much so that they strip the water of all nutrition for other animals (freshwater mussels, filter feeding insects, etc.). Unfortunately, (or not!), they are freshwater only.
