Start with zones and operating requirements
List the species and stock intended for each compartment. Identify freshwater and seawater zones and provide the intended water conditions for technical review. This is the input to system selection, not a universal recipe for operating the tank. The site arrangement, selected equipment and actual stock need to be reviewed together; this guide does not prescribe salinity, temperature or stocking density.
Distinguish circulation from filtration
Request a diagram and component schedule showing how water moves through the proposed tank and which filtration arrangement serves each zone. A source statement such as independent circulation or dual filtration describes an arrangement, not a documented pump flow rate or filtration capacity. If component ratings are necessary to compare proposals, ask for them as project-specific specifications rather than inferring them from the visible tank.
Confirm shared and independent circuits
The supplied tank references use different configurations: multifunction references list dual circulation and filtration; the shrimp/crab reference lists independent circulation, filtration and oxygenation; the abalone/oyster reference lists dual circulation and filtration. Keep those distinctions in the selection brief. Ask which compartments are connected, which systems can be serviced separately and how the final boundaries appear on the drawing.
- Name each proposed circuit and the compartments it serves.
- Identify shared versus independent filtration and cooling.
- Request clear connection points and included component scope.
Specify oxygenation and cooling as separate items
Where the source lists oxygenation or a cooling unit, record it as part of the reference configuration. Request the proposed final oxygenation and cooling arrangement for your stock and layout. A reference horsepower is not a complete system sizing calculation. Electrical ratings, refrigerant and controller settings should stay Confirm per project if the selected source does not supply them.
Plan service and cleaning access
Show where an operator can access filtration, pumps, connections and drainage after installation. Include practical access in the floor plan before approving a tightly enclosed island or wall-side layout. Ask the proposal to identify the equipment footprint as well as the visible tank footprint. State the site's water supply, drain locations and electrical connections so the supply and site-work responsibilities are clear.
Compare a component schedule rather than a sales phrase
Terms such as powerful filtration do not provide a comparable specification. Request model/component identification where available, circuit boundaries, included equipment and operating/service documentation. Ask what must be installed at the site. Do not replace missing evidence with a claim about sterilization, animal survival or an assumed maintenance interval.
- Use the same stock and zone schedule for every proposal.
- Separate source references from final supplied component ratings.
- Record which utilities and site connections are outside equipment supply.
Approve the system with the layout
Attach a zone-marked plan to the RFQ and state species, proposed stock, water conditions, footprint and destination market. Ask for the circulation/filtration layout and specification schedule to be reviewed together. When the layout or stock requirement changes, confirm whether the proposed system also needs revision. Keep the approved version of the drawing and schedule aligned before production.
BUYER QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
Can I infer filtration capacity from tank size?
No. Ask for the selected component and system specification for the intended stock and water zones.
Does dual filtration mean every compartment is isolated?
Not by itself. Request the circuit layout and identify which compartments share each system.
What water settings should I put in the RFQ?
Provide the species-specific requirements you need reviewed. The final operating conditions must be confirmed for the project rather than copied from a generic tank page.
What evidence should accompany the quotation?
Ask for the proposed zone diagram, component scope, connection requirements and service-access arrangement, with model-level data where available.