The email came in at 4 p.m. on a Friday. "Your tank is ready. We're shipping Tuesday. Please confirm site access."
That's when the buyer realizes: the tank is 3.2 meters long, the hotel's main entrance is 2.8 meters wide, and the freight elevator doors are only 1.2 meters. The supplier said "it'll fit." It won't.
Delivery planning for a large aquarium starts long before the truck shows up. It starts with measuring the building, not the tank.
The Walk: From Factory Gate to Final Position
Here's how a B2B buyer should audit the delivery path before shipment. Not after.
| Checkpoint | What to Measure | What Goes Wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Truck access to building | Turning radius, door height, road weight limit | Truck can't reach the dock |
| Freight elevator | Interior dimensions, weight capacity, door width | Tank doesn't fit through elevator doors |
| Corridor width along path | Narrowest point along the route | Tank gets stuck mid-corridor |
| Final room dimensions | Door swing, ceiling height, clearance around tank | Tank can't be positioned |
| Floor load rating | PSI or kN/m² under tank position | Floor flexes, tank leaks |
| Crane access (if needed) | Set-up space, overhead obstructions, ground strength | Crane can't reach or can't set up |
Years ago I used to think delivery was the supplier's problem. I don't anymore. It's ours too. The supplier builds the tank. The buyer owns the site. If the path isn't ready, the tank sits on the truck until it is.
The Floor Load Nobody Checks
This is the one that catches people.
A 3-meter rimless reef tank with water, rock, and stand weighs close to 3,000 kg. That weight sits on a footprint of maybe 3 square meters. The PSI under the tank frame is not trivial.
| Tank Size | Approx. Weight (full) | Floor Load Concern |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5 m | ~600 kg | Usually fine on slab |
| 2.5 m | ~1,800 kg | Check floor rating |
| 3.5 m+ | ~3,500 kg | Engineer review required |
A standard office floor might be rated for 250-500 kg/m². A full aquarium can exceed that by 5-10x. The floor doesn't collapse on day one. It flexes. The silicone joints develop stress. Six months later, there's a leak.
The Crane Question
If the tank can't go through the building — main entrance too small, no freight elevator, installation site on an upper floor — crane delivery is the fallback.
Crane access needs:
- Ground bearing capacity (the outriggers need solid ground)
- Overhead clearance (power lines, tree branches, building overhang)
- A clear path from crane hook to final position
- Window or opening large enough to pass the tank
A 3-meter tank swung through a window by crane is not a casual operation. It needs a licensed operator, a spotter, and a clear weather window.
The Contradiction
Here's where I push back.
Normally I tell buyers: do the site survey before you order. It's non-negotiable for tanks over 2 meters.
But a 1.2-meter tank going into a residential basement? Sure, skip the survey. Measure the door, confirm the floor is slab, go.
The survey requirement scales with tank size and risk. A small tank going into a single-story building doesn't need a structural engineer. A 4-meter tank going onto a 12th-floor hotel lobby does.
What I'm Not Going to Tell You
I can tell you what to measure. I can tell you where the common failures are. I can tell you the checklist.
But I can't tell you if your site is ready from the tank dimensions alone. I don't know the building. I don't know the floor rating. I don't know if there's a freight elevator or just a staircase.
That information comes from a site visit or architectural drawings.
What We Put on the Drawing
When we spec a Ruibit large aquarium project, the delivery path goes on the approved drawing. Not in a WhatsApp message.
The drawing shows:
- Tank dimensions and weight
- Floor load calculation
- Proposed delivery route
- Crane access requirements (if applicable)
- Final position and clearance dimensions
That way, nobody guesses on delivery day.
What to Do Before Shipment
If you're expecting a tank over 2 meters:
- Measure every door, corridor, and elevator along the path
- Get the floor load rating from the building manager
- Confirm truck access and turning space
- If crane is needed, book it early (not the week before)
- Send the site measurements back to the factory for confirmation
The supplier will tell you the tank dimensions. They can't tell you your building dimensions. That's on you.
FAQs
Q: When do I need a site survey before ordering a large aquarium?
A: For tanks over 2 meters, yes. Measure every door, corridor, elevator, and the floor load rating along the delivery path. Smaller tanks in single-story buildings can skip the formal survey.
Q: How do I check floor load for a heavy aquarium?
A: Ask the building manager for the floor rating. A 3-meter tank full of water weighs around 3,000 kg. Standard office floors are often rated for 250-500 kg/m², so an engineer review is required for tanks over 2.5 meters.
Q: When is crane delivery necessary?
A: When the tank can't fit through the building entrance, freight elevator, or corridors. Crane access requires ground bearing capacity, overhead clearance, and a clear path from hook to final position.
Q: Who is responsible for delivery path preparation?
A: The buyer. The supplier provides tank dimensions and weight. The buyer owns the building measurements, floor load verification, truck access, and crane booking before shipment.
