Editorial policy

This page explains how Tank Math Lab content is produced and kept accurate. It applies to every guide and calculator on the site. The editor responsible for all content is Tank Math Lab editorial team.

Principles

1. Show the reasoning. Numbers come with the formula, the inputs and a worked example.
2. Cite primary or authoritative sources. We prefer university extension publications, peer-reviewed research, species databases such as FishBase and Seriously Fish, and manufacturers’ technical documentation. Forum posts may inspire a question but are not used as the only support for a claim.
3. Separate facts, rules of thumb and opinion. Heuristics are labeled as heuristics and paired with a way to check them, usually a water test.
4. Animal welfare first. We do not recommend practices that knowingly stress or harm fish. We do not give medication dosing beyond pointing to the product label and aquatic veterinarians.

First-hand testing

Some questions are best answered with our own measurements: how quickly a specific tank cycled, how real filter flow compares with the box, how a test strip compares with a liquid kit. Until such a test has actually been done, the guide shows a yellow Field test pending box describing exactly what will be measured. We do not write “we tested” or present numbers as our own unless the test happened, and published test results will include the date, equipment and method.

Use of software and AI tools

We use software tools, including AI writing assistants, to help with research organization, first drafts, arithmetic checks and copy editing. A person is responsible for every published page: the editor checks claims against the cited sources, re-derives formulas and worked examples, removes anything that cannot be verified, and adds context from fishkeeping practice. AI tools are never used to fabricate experiences, test results, reviews, quotes or author identities.

Updates

Each guide shows its publication date and, when substantively revised, an updated date. Minor fixes such as typos do not change the updated date. Guides are reviewed when a cited source changes, when a reader reports a problem, or at least once a year.

Corrections

If you think something is wrong, please tell us through the contact page. We check the report against sources, fix confirmed errors promptly, and add a short correction note to the page when the error could have affected a reader’s decision (for example, a dosing or volume calculation).

Independence and money

Tank Math Lab currently has no advertising, sponsorships or affiliate relationships. If advertising is added in the future it will be clearly separated from content, and advertisers will have no say over what we publish. We do not accept payment for reviews or links.