Before fabrication, document the project brief, site conditions, complete-system assumptions, building interfaces, access, life-support scope, commissioning, livestock plan, records, maintenance, and change ownership. Use the checklist to reveal who is responsible for each item; it does not assign technical, legal, or trade responsibility for a particular project.
Project brief and decision record
Record the viewing goals, intended livestock or plants, proposed location, decision-makers, budget and schedule assumptions, service expectations, known site constraints, and unresolved decisions. Give every prospective project team the same current brief so that differences in proposals can be identified rather than hidden.
For each open item, note the decision needed, the information it depends on, the party expected to supply that information, and the date or project gate at which it must be resolved. This is a coordination aid, not a promise about project duration.
Site, building, and access interfaces
Identify the proposed display and equipment locations, support concept, delivery route, equipment-replacement route, service clearances, finishes, penetrations, utilities, drainage, ventilation, moisture management, and any approvals or professional review that may apply. The relevant qualified professionals must determine the requirements and ownership for the actual site.
EPA homeowner guidance identifies moisture control and prompt attention to water problems as important for preventing mold growth. Use that limited point to keep moisture, condensation, leak response, and drying responsibilities visible in the project record; it is not engineering, remediation, or code advice.
Aquarium system, handover, and ongoing care
Ask the proposed team to state what it includes, excludes, or depends on for the display, life-support equipment, controls, cabinetry or finishes, water preparation, delivery, installation, testing, commissioning, documentation, training, livestock or planting, and maintenance. Keep building-trade scope distinct from aquarium-specialist scope unless the proposal explicitly assigns it.
Before handover, identify the operating records, equipment information, warranty materials, maintenance arrangement, emergency contacts, change log, and the party responsible for each remaining action. Do not infer that fabrication, installation, or commissioning includes recurring husbandry, building-service work, or replacement responsibility unless the written scope says so.