Editorial Policy
Aquarium planning advice has real welfare consequences for the animals involved. This page explains exactly how our data is collected, checked, versioned, and corrected.
Data collection
Species records are drafted from registered sources — scientific databases (FishBase), government and university extensions, and specialist hobby publications. Each record stores which sources it came from, so citations are traceable rather than generic.
Numeric husbandry values (adult size, minimum tank, temperature, pH, hardness, group size) are recorded as ranges, because real-world guidance varies. Where sources disagree, we record the conservative end and note the disagreement in the page's editorial note.
Data verification
Every record carries a reviewed date and a data version. Records start as editorial drafts; they only count as reviewed after a human has checked each field against the cited sources.
Fish records in the current batch (data version 2026.09) are editorial drafts pending that human pass. We label this honestly on the site rather than implying independent verification that has not happened yet.
Editorial review
Compatibility guides are curated, not generated. A pair only becomes a page when someone has decided it belongs in the registry, and each page must clear a publish checklist: unique title and intro, real species-specific data, a reasoned verdict, tank requirement, risks, exceptions, sources, and a review date.
Pages that do not clear the checklist stay out of the sitemap — they cannot be published by accident.
Algorithm review
Every core algorithm is versioned (Stocking v1.1, Compatibility v1.1, Calculator rules v1.1). Tunable constants live in a rules file with its own version and review date, so a rule change never silently changes past results.
When we change an algorithm, we document it in the changelog and bump the version rather than editing behavior in place. Calculators always show their version badge and assumptions next to the result.
Corrections
If you spot an error — a species parameter, a calculator assumption, a compatibility verdict — contact us with the page URL and, where possible, the source that contradicts it.
Factual corrections are applied to the data layer, the reviewed date is updated, and the correction is noted in the changelog. We would rather publish a narrower, honest number than a confident wrong one.
Affiliate disclosure
AquariumForge does not currently sell equipment or carry affiliate links; calculator and guide content is not influenced by retailers.
If that changes, disclosure will appear on the pages involved and in this policy, and equipment recommendations will stay separate from editorial data.
Last reviewed: · canonical https://aquariumforge.com/editorial-policy/