Clearance rate was measured for Acesta excavata, Lophelia pertusa, Geodia barretti, Phakellia ventilabrum and Stryphnus sp. under laboratory conditions at the Austevoll research station from the Institute of Marine Research, Norway between February and June 2018. The different species were given natural occurring seston in flow-through systems, as described in Strohmeier et al. (2009) under different flow speeds. Particle amount in the water entering and exciting the experimental system was measured using a particle counter system (PAMAS Partikelmess- und Analysesystem) and flow cytometry. G. barretti and Stryphnus sp. specimens were collected from Nakken reef (59°49'53" N, 5°33'44" E DMS) and Langenuen Fjord (60°00'37" N, 5°19'14" E DMS). The sponge P. ventilabrum was collected from Korsfjorden (60º9'46.8" N, 05º10'24" E DMS). L. pertusa and A. excavata were collected from the Nakken reef (59°49'53" N, 5°33'44" E DMS).

LSNF: Low speed normal food MSNF: Medium speed normal food HSNF: High speed normal food LSHF: Low speed high food MSHF: Medium speed high food HSHF: High speed high food Normal food treatments were food concentrations occurring naturally in waters from 160 m depth. High food traetments were achieved by incorporating seston gathered through a 41 µm mesh to the header tank. Water temperature varied between 9 and 10.5°C.All organisms were weighed to obtain wet mass, then left to dry at 60ºC until dry mass was stable (2 weeks for L. pertusa, 2 days for the sponges, and 3 days for A. excavata). The trays were then burnt for 4.5 h at 450⁰C and weighed again, which gives the Ash Free Weight (AFW). To obtain organic carbon content the AFW was subtracted from the dry mass. Organic content was then standardized to mol carbon per g dry mass.