Editorial Methodology: How We Research
Most product-advice sites want you to believe a team of experts personally tested everything they recommend. We think that claim deserves scrutiny — so here’s exactly how our content is produced, and what we explicitly do not claim.
Our sources, in order of trust
- Published manufacturer specifications. Pump flow charts, filter max-flow ratings, UV wattage tables, wattage labels. When we cite a number — like Oase’s Vitronic pricing or a turnover-rate rule — it comes from a spec sheet or published reference we can point to.
- Established pond-keeping references. The principles that show up consistently across decades of pond literature: turnover rates, the nitrogen cycle, why you rinse filter media in pond water. These are settled knowledge, not opinions.
- Community knowledge. Pond forums and keeper communities are where the real-world edge cases live — the “UV is sized by flow rate, not pond volume” confusion, the impeller wrapped in string algae. We treat forum consensus as a lead, not a fact, and cross-check it against specs and references before publishing.
What we explicitly do not do
- No hands-on product testing. We have not bought, installed, or field-tested the pumps, filters, UV clarifiers, or vacuums mentioned on this site. We will never describe a product as “we tested” or “in our experience with this unit.” Any site making that claim without evidence is asking for trust it hasn’t earned; we won’t be that site.
- No invented authors. No personas, no fake credentials, no stock-photo “team.”
- No fabricated data, quotes, or experiences. Every number is either sourced, computed transparently (our calculators show all their math), or explicitly labeled an estimate.
- No undisclosed commercial influence. If a brand relationship ever affects a recommendation, it will be stated on the page, not buried in a disclosure subdomain.
How we handle estimates
Pond keeping involves genuine uncertainty — every pond is different, and manufacturers’ ratings assume ideal conditions. When we present a number that isn’t a published spec:
- It’s labeled an estimate in the text.
- We explain what it’s based on and what would change it.
- In our tools, estimates are flagged inline (e.g., the pump head-height derate in the Pond System Sizer is labeled “estimate only” with instructions to check the manufacturer’s flow chart).
Corrections
If a spec changed, a number is wrong, or a guide led you astray, we want to know. Corrections are published promptly and dated. A guide that can’t be corrected isn’t a guide — it’s marketing.
Why this matters for an inherited pond
You’re making decisions about equipment you didn’t choose, for a pond you didn’t ask for, spending real money. You deserve to know whether advice comes from a spec sheet or someone’s anecdote. Our job is to make that distinction visible on every page — so you can size a pump, fix green water, or winterize with confidence in why the advice works, not just who said it.