Privacy policy

1. Who we are

Aquarist Network is operated by Codare Ltd. For the purposes of UK data protection law, Codare Ltd is the data controller responsible for personal data processed through this website.

2. Contact

If you have questions about this policy or how we handle personal data, contact:

• Adrian Cooke
• Email: aquaristnetwork@gmail.com

3. Personal data we may collect

Depending on how you use Aquarist Network, we may process:

• Account information — such as your email address, display name, and profile details you choose to provide when you register or update your account.
• Listing and marketplace content — information you submit when creating or managing listings, enquiries, messages, reviews, or other community content.
• Communications — messages you send to us (for example support or contact requests) and related correspondence.
• Technical and security data — such as IP address, browser type, device information, and logs needed to operate, secure, and troubleshoot the service.
• Analytics data (optional) — if you accept analytics cookies, we may receive aggregated usage information via third-party analytics tools (see section 6).

We do not intentionally collect special category data (such as health information) through Aquarist Network. Please avoid sharing unnecessary sensitive information in public listings or messages.

4. How we use personal data

We use personal data to:

• provide, maintain, and improve Aquarist Network;
• create and manage user accounts;
• enable listings, enquiries, and other marketplace features;
• communicate with you about your account, security, or service updates;
• protect users and the platform (including fraud prevention and abuse handling);
• comply with legal obligations; and
• understand site usage in aggregate where you have consented to analytics cookies.

5. Lawful bases

Under UK GDPR, we rely on different lawful bases depending on the activity, including:

• Contract — where processing is necessary to provide the service you sign up for (for example operating your account and listings).
• Legitimate interests — where we have a genuine need to operate, secure, and improve the platform, balanced against your rights (for example basic security logging and service reliability).
• Consent — where required, notably for non-essential analytics cookies and related analytics processing. You may withdraw consent at any time via Cookie settings.
• Legal obligation — where we must retain or disclose information to comply with applicable law.

6. Analytics and usage monitoring

We use optional analytics tools to understand how Aquarist Network is used in aggregate and to improve the experience. These tools are disabled by default until you choose to accept analytics cookies in our cookie banner.

For Google Analytics 4, we use Google's Consent Mode: the tag may load in production so the service can initialise, but analytics storage and measurement remain off until you accept analytics cookies.

When enabled with your consent, we may use:

• Google Analytics 4 — to measure traffic, pages viewed, and general interaction patterns.
• Microsoft Clarity — to help us understand how pages are used through session recordings and heatmaps in aggregate form.

These providers may set cookies or similar technologies on your device. They act as service providers processing data on our instructions when analytics consent is active. See our Cookie policy for more detail.

If you reject analytics cookies, these tools are not loaded and we do not use them for your browsing session on this device (unless you later change your choice).

7. Sharing and service providers

We do not sell your personal data. We may share information with trusted service providers who help us run Aquarist Network, such as hosting, email delivery, and (with your consent) analytics providers. We require appropriate safeguards and only share what is needed for the relevant purpose.

We may also disclose information where required by law, to protect rights and safety, or in connection with a business reorganisation — subject to applicable legal requirements.

8. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy, including legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods vary depending on the type of data — for example, account data is kept while your account is active and for a reasonable period afterwards, while security logs may be kept for shorter operational periods.

A detailed retention schedule may be published separately following legal review if required.

9. International transfers

Some service providers (including analytics providers) may process data outside the UK. Where this occurs, we aim to use appropriate safeguards recognised under UK data protection law, such as standard contractual clauses or equivalent measures, where applicable.

10. Your rights

Under UK data protection law, you may have rights including access, rectification, erasure, restriction, objection, and data portability, depending on the circumstances. Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw consent at any time (this does not affect processing already carried out).

To exercise your rights, contact us at aquaristnetwork@gmail.com. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in the UK if you are concerned about how we handle personal data.

11. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data. No online service can guarantee absolute security; please use a strong, unique password and keep your login details confidential.

12. Children

Aquarist Network is intended for general audiences and is not directed at children under 13. If you believe a child has provided personal data to us, please contact us and we will take appropriate steps.

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page will change when we do. Material changes may also be highlighted on the site where appropriate.