50 Gallon Tanks
50 Gallon Tanks
Fifty gallons is the size that fits where a drum will not: a vertical cylinder 18 inches across, a loaf that rides in a truck bed, an open top for batching, a small holding tank. Norwesco, Snyder, Chem-Tainer, Dura-Cast and Ronco all mold one. Spin the vertical below, compare the shapes, and most of these ship by parcel, not freight.
- 22
- tanks at 50 gallons
- 18 in
- across
- 53 in
- tall
- 1.5 / 1.9
- wall rating, specific gravity
Listed from $40 before freight. Call 866-418-1777 to talk through the choice.
53inches tall. Shorter than you are.
The 18 inch Norwesco vertical stands 53 inches, chest high on a 72 inch person. It rides through a standard 36 inch doorway on a hand truck with room on both sides, which is the whole point of a tank this size.
417pounds of water when full. Water alone weighs 417 pounds.
Multiply 50 gallons by 8.34 pounds per gallon. The 1.5 specific gravity walls carry contents up to 625 pounds, and the 1.9 walls up to 792 pounds. That is more than a shelf bracket rated for the empty 25 pound tank; size the mount for the full one.
The 22 tanks
Start with the wall. Resin sets what the tank can hold and how hot; the specific gravity rating sets how heavy a liquid the wall is built for. Pick a cell to narrow the list.
Vertical tanks
6 at 50 gallonsClosed cylinders with a threaded vented lid: the shelf, closet and skid tank. Fittings sit low on the wall.
- 3D50 Gallon Vertical Liquid Storage TankNorwesco, White, 5" Threaded Vented Lid
- Wall rating
- SG 1.5
- Max temp
- 120 F
- Ships
- 50 lb
$240list, before freightVideoDrawing (PDF)Polyethylene (HDPE), freight class LTL, warranty 3-year limited (full replacement) per Norwesco liquid storage catalog 2024. No certification listed by the maker 
Norwesco 50 Gallon Pest Control Operator Tank in WhiteNorwesco, White, 8" Threaded Vented Lid- Wall rating
- SG 1.5
- Max temp
- 120 F
- Ships
- 26 lb
$242list, before freightVideoDrawing (PDF)Polyethylene, freight class UPS, warranty 3-year limited (full replacement) per Norwesco liquid storage catalog 2024. No certification listed by the maker
Chem-Tainer 50 Gallon Plastic Vertical Double Wall Liquid Chemical Storage TankChem-Tainer, Natural White, 8" Threaded Vented Lid- Wall rating
- SG 1.9
- Max temp
- 120 F
- Ships
- 55 lb
$930list, before freightVideoDrawing (PDF)Polyethylene, freight class LTL, warranty 3 Year Warranty. Listed: FDA-compliant resin
Snyder Industries 50 Gallon HDPE Vertical Liquid Storage Tank with ASTM CertificationSnyder, White, 10" Threaded Lid- Wall rating
- SG 1.9
- Max temp
- 120 F
- Ships
- 26 lb
$400list, before freightVideoDrawing (PDF)Polyethylene, freight class UPS, warranty 3 Year Warranty. Listed: ASTM, FDA approved, ANSI/NSF 61 approved
All 6 vertical tanks at 50 gallons
Every size of vertical tanks, or call 866-418-1777 for the one you need.
Loaf, utility and low-profile tanks
5 at 50 gallonsLow and flat for truck beds and skids; strap points molded in, drain at the low end.
3DNorwesco 50 Gallon Portable Loaf Utility Tank in WhiteNorwesco, White, 8" Threaded Vented Lid- Wall rating
- SG 1.5
- Max temp
- 120 F
- Ships
- 27 lb
$280list, before freightVideoDrawing (PDF)Polyethylene, freight class UPS, warranty 3-year limited (full replacement) per Norwesco liquid storage catalog 2024. No certification listed by the maker
- Wall rating
- -
- Max temp
- -
- Ships
- 5 lb
$40list, before freight
Norwesco 50 Gallon Plastic Portable Loaf Utility Tank in WhiteNorwesco, White, 8" Threaded Vented Lid- Wall rating
- SG 1.5
- Max temp
- 120 F
- Ships
- 36 lb
$260list, before freightVideoDrawing (PDF)Polyethylene, freight class UPS, warranty 3-year limited (full replacement) per Norwesco liquid storage catalog 2024. No certification listed by the maker
All 5 loaf, utility and low-profile tanks at 50 gallons
Every size of loaf, utility and low-profile tanks, or call 866-418-1777 for the one you need.
Open top tanks
3 at 50 gallonsNo lid, straight walls, a bottom outlet: for mixing and batching, not long-term storage.
Chem-Tainer 50 Gallon PE Rectangular Open Top TankChem-Tainer, Natural White, Open top (no lid installed)- Wall rating
- -
- Max temp
- 120 F
- Ships
- 35 lb
$550list, before freightVideoDrawing (PDF)Polyethylene, freight class 250, warranty 3 Year Warranty. Listed: FDA-compliant resin, NSF 61
Chem-Tainer 50 Gallon PE Rectangular Open Top TankChem-Tainer, Natural White, Open top (no lid installed)- Wall rating
- -
- Max temp
- 120 F
- Ships
- 50 lb
$690list, before freightVideoDrawing (PDF)Polyethylene, freight class 250, warranty 3 Year Warranty. Listed: FDA-compliant resin, NSF 61
All 3 open top tanks at 50 gallons
Every size of open top tanks, or call 866-418-1777 for the one you need.
Septic and holding tanks
1 at 50 gallonsA small holding vessel for below grade; different job, same capacity.
- Wall rating
- -
- Max temp
- -
- Ships
- 97 lb
$529list, before freightVideoLow Density Linear Polyethylene. No certification listed by the maker
Every size of septic and holding tanks, or call 866-418-1777 for the one you need.
Storage tanks
7 at 50 gallonsSpecialty shapes at 50 gallons: sprayer, applicator and pest-control bodies that fit a rig, not a floor.
Norwesco 50 Gallon Plastic Pest Control Operator Tank in WhiteNorwesco, White, 8" Threaded Vented Lid- Wall rating
- SG 1.5
- Max temp
- 120 F
- Ships
- 26 lb
$242list, before freightVideoDrawing (PDF)Polyethylene, freight class UPS, warranty 3-year limited (full replacement) per Norwesco liquid storage catalog 2024. No certification listed by the maker
Snyder Industries 50 Gallon Rectangular PCO Tank (No Hoops)Snyder, White, 6"- Wall rating
- SG 1.5
- Max temp
- -
- Ships
- 40 lb
$292list, before freight
- Wall rating
- SG 1.5
- Max temp
- 120 F
- Ships
- 27 lb
$292list, before freight
- Wall rating
- SG 1.5
- Max temp
- -
- Ships
- 25 lb
$359list, before freight
All 7 storage tanks at 50 gallons
Every size of storage tanks, or call 866-418-1777 for the one you need.
The shapes, and when each one is right
The vertical cylinder is the default: smallest footprint, a threaded vented lid on top, fittings on the side wall near the base. Norwesco's 18 by 53 inch mold is the common one, listed from 214 dollars before freight, and it comes in natural white for reading the level and black for sunlight.
Loaf and utility tanks lie flat and low. They are the pickup-bed and skid-mount shape, built to be strapped down, with the fill on top and a drain low on one end. If the tank rides on a vehicle, start here.
Open top tanks have no lid at all. They are batch and mix vessels: fill from above, stir, draw off a bottom fitting. Chem-Tainer molds them in polyethylene and polypropylene, and the polypropylene ones take hotter liquids than any closed tank on this page.
Pest control operator tanks are a specialty shape for spray rigs, and the one holding or septic tank at this size is a small below-ground vessel, not a storage tank; it is on this page because it holds 50 gallons, not because it does the same job.
Side by side, from the manufacturer records
| Tank | Type | Resin | Wall rating | Max temp | Manway | Certifications listed | Warranty | Freight class | Ship weight | Ship size | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vertical Liquid Storage Tank | Vertical | Polyethylene (HDPE) | SG 1.5 | 120 F | 5" Threaded Vented Lid | none listed | 3-year limited (full replacement) per Norwesco liquid storage catalog 2024 | LTL | 50 lb | 18" L x 18" W x 53" H | $240 |
| Pest Control Operator Tank in White | Vertical | Polyethylene | SG 1.5 | 120 F | 8" Threaded Vented Lid | none listed | 3-year limited (full replacement) per Norwesco liquid storage catalog 2024 | UPS | 26 lb | 38" L x 19" W x 22" H | $242 |
| Plastic Vertical Double Wall Liquid Chemical Storage Tank | Vertical | Polyethylene | SG 1.9 | 120 F | 8" Threaded Vented Lid | FDA-compliant resin | 3 Year Warranty | LTL, NMFC 156600-03 | 55 lb | 27" L x 27" W x 38" H | $930 |
| HDPE Vertical Liquid Storage Tank with ASTM Certification | Vertical | Polyethylene | SG 1.9 | 120 F | 10" Threaded Lid | ASTM, FDA approved, ANSI/NSF 61 approved | 3 Year Warranty | UPS, NMFC 156600 | 26 lb | 23" L x 23" W x 38" H | $400 |
| Portable Loaf Utility Tank in White | Loaf, utility and low-profile | Polyethylene | SG 1.5 | 120 F | 8" Threaded Vented Lid | none listed | 3-year limited (full replacement) per Norwesco liquid storage catalog 2024 | UPS, NMFC 156600 | 27 lb | 38" L x 19" W x 23" H | $280 |
| UTILITY TANK STEEL B | Loaf, utility and low-profile | Steel | none listed | UPS, NMFC 178690 | 5 lb | 21" L x 1" W x 19" H | $40 | ||||
| Plastic Portable Loaf Utility Tank in White | Loaf, utility and low-profile | Polyethylene | SG 1.5 | 120 F | 8" Threaded Vented Lid | none listed | 3-year limited (full replacement) per Norwesco liquid storage catalog 2024 | UPS, NMFC 156600 | 36 lb | 41" L x 27" W x 17" H | $260 |
| PE Rectangular Open Top Tank | Open top | Polyethylene | 120 F | Open top (no lid installed) | FDA-compliant resin, NSF 61 | 3 Year Warranty | 250, NMFC 156600 | 35 lb | 20" L x 20" W x 37" H | $550 | |
| PE Rectangular Open Top Tank | Open top | Polyethylene | 120 F | Open top (no lid installed) | FDA-compliant resin, NSF 61 | 3 Year Warranty | 250, NMFC 156600-03 | 50 lb | 18" L x 36" W x 18" H | $690 | |
| Plastics 91H - Plastic RV Holding Tank | Septic and holding | Low Density Linear Polyethylene | none listed | 97 lb | 70" L x 25" W x 11" H | $529 | |||||
| Plastic Pest Control Operator Tank in White | Storage | Polyethylene | SG 1.5 | 120 F | 8" Threaded Vented Lid | none listed | 3-year limited (full replacement) per Norwesco liquid storage catalog 2024 | UPS | 26 lb | 38" L x 19" W x 23" H | $242 |
| Rectangular PCO Tank (No Hoops) | Storage | Polyethylene | SG 1.5 | 6" | FDA-compliant resin | UPS, NMFC 156600-03 | 40 lb | 38" L x 20" W x 22" H | $292 |
Scroll the table sideways; the tank name stays put.
What 50 gallons is on the ground
Shorter than you are. The 18 inch Norwesco vertical stands 53 inches, chest high on a 72 inch person. It rides through a standard 36 inch doorway on a hand truck with room on both sides, which is the whole point of a tank this size.
An 18 inch circle of floor. The vertical's base is 18 inches across, under 2 square feet. It sits on a shop floor, a pallet or a shelf bracket with no pad work at all; keep the bottom flat and fully supported and you are done.
Water alone weighs 417 pounds. Multiply 50 gallons by 8.34 pounds per gallon. The 1.5 specific gravity walls carry contents up to 625 pounds, and the 1.9 walls up to 792 pounds. That is more than a shelf bracket rated for the empty 25 pound tank; size the mount for the full one.
Choosing by what you will store
Potable and process water
Six of the tanks on this page list NSF/ANSI 61 or FDA compliant resin. For drinking water in a cabin, a well house or an RV bay, buy one of those and keep the lid vented.
Browse potable and process water tanksChemicals and cleaners
Fifty gallons is the size that gets filled with a chemical bought by the drum. Check the liquid against the chemical tank recommender first; a polypropylene open top or a 1.9 specific gravity wall is often the right answer at this size.
Browse chemicals and cleaners tanksSpray rigs and vehicles
A loaf or utility tank strapped to a bed, or a pest control operator tank on a service truck, carries 50 gallons low enough to keep the vehicle's center of gravity sane. Tie it down at the molded points, never around the lid.
Browse spray rigs and vehicles tanksBatching and mixing
An open top tank with a stand lets you dose, stir and drain. Pair it with a bottom bulkhead fitting sized to your pump and keep it under cover; an open top fills with rain as happily as with product.
Browse batching and mixing tanksSee it move
Dimensions, fittings and shipping notes for the 50 Gallon Vertical Liquid Storage Tank. Every tank on this page has its own.
Videos and drawings
- Vertical Liquid Storage TankVideo, Drawing
- Pest Control Operator Tank in WhiteVideo, Drawing
- Plastic Vertical Double Wall Liquid Chemical Storage TankVideo, Drawing
- HDPE Vertical Liquid Storage Tank with ASTM CertificationVideo, Drawing
- Portable Loaf Utility Tank in WhiteVideo, Drawing
- UTILITY TANK STEEL BVideo, Drawing
- Plastic Portable Loaf Utility Tank in WhiteVideo, Drawing
- PE Rectangular Open Top TankVideo, Drawing
- PE Rectangular Open Top TankVideo, Drawing
- Plastics 91H - Plastic RV Holding TankVideo
- Plastic Pest Control Operator Tank in WhiteVideo, Drawing
- Rectangular PCO Tank (No Hoops)Video, Drawing
Getting it to you
Most 50 gallon tanks ship by parcel, boxed, to a door. The taller verticals and a few of the specialty shapes go LTL because of their length, and those show a freight class on the card. Listed prices are before freight either way.
Put your ZIP in the freight cost estimator and you see the real number for the shape you picked. Parcel-sized tanks arrive in days; LTL tanks need someone to receive them.
The honest limitation: a 50 gallon tank is cheap enough that freight can rival the price of the tank on an LTL shape. If that is the case for your ZIP, the parcel-sized vertical is the one to buy, and we will tell you so on the phone.
What the carrier sees
- Freight class
- 250, LTL, UPS
- NMFC
- -
- Ship size
- 18" L x 18" W x 53" H
- Ship weight
- 50 lb
- Ships from
- Albertville, AL; Burnet, Texas; Chowchilla, California; Fairfield, Texas; Griffin, Georgia; Hanford, California; Lancaster, Ohio; Lincoln, Nebraska; Marked Tree, AR; Merced, California; Owego, New York; Philippi, WV; Shawnee, Oklahoma; Sheldon, IA; St. Bonifacius, Minnesota; Tooele, Utah; Washington Court House, Ohio; Washougal, Washington; West Babylon, New York
- Flatbed or step-deck; the driver does not unload.
- You need a forklift with long forks or a crane with soft slings.
- Listed prices are before freight. The quote is per ZIP and per lane.
Standards the manufacturers list
ASTM D1998, Standard Specification for Polyethylene Upright Storage Tanks, is the construction standard the makers build the verticals to; it sets wall thickness by specific gravity rating.
NSF/ANSI 61, Drinking Water System Components, and FDA 21 CFR 177.1520 for the olefin polymers are listed by the makers on six of these tanks. We print what each maker lists and nothing stronger; see the comparison table.
- FDA-compliant resinListed by the maker on 9 of 22: Flat Bottom Tank w/Slosh Guard White, Industrial HDLPE Rectangular PCO Tank 1.5 SG, Plastic Vertical Double Wall Liquid Chemical Storage Tank, Rectangular PCO Tank (No Hoops), Plastic Portable Pest Control Operator Tank, PE Rectangular Open Top Tank and 3 more.
- NSF 61Listed by the maker on 4 of 22: PE Rectangular Open Top Tank, PE Rectangular Open Top Tank, Black Vertical Storage Tank, ASTM Black Heavy Duty Vertical Storage Tank.
- FDA approvedListed by the maker on 2 of 22: HDPE Vertical Liquid Storage Tank with ASTM Certification, Plastic Pest Control Operator Tank with Lid in White.
- ANSI/NSF 61 approvedListed by the maker on 2 of 22: HDPE Vertical Liquid Storage Tank with ASTM Certification, Plastic Pest Control Operator Tank with Lid in White.
- ASTMListed by the maker on 1 of 22: HDPE Vertical Liquid Storage Tank with ASTM Certification.
Install day
Set the tank on a flat surface that supports the whole bottom. A shelf bracket or a stand must be rated for the full weight, 417 pounds of water or more, not the empty tank.
Fit the bulkhead at the molded flat with the gasket on the wet side, hand tight plus a quarter turn. Pipe with a short flexible connection so the wall can move when the tank fills and warms.
Tools: tank sizing calculator, chemical tank recommender, state regulations. Related: all Snyder tanks, vertical tanks, 10,000 gallon tanks.
Questions we get about 50 gallon tanks
How much does a 50 gallon plastic tank cost?
Listed at 214 to 929 dollars before freight on this page, by shape and resin. The plain vertical is the value; open tops with stands and specialty rig tanks sit at the top of the range.
Does a 50 gallon tank ship by parcel?
Many do. The vertical and the smaller loaf shapes box up for parcel; the tall and the long shapes go LTL. The card shows which, and the freight cost estimator gives the real number for your ZIP.
Can I store drinking water in it?
In the tanks that list NSF/ANSI 61 or FDA compliant resin, yes. Six on this page do; the comparison table shows which.
Vertical, loaf or open top?
Vertical for a floor or shelf, loaf for a vehicle or skid, open top for mixing and batching. The rest of this page walks through each.
Ready to pick one?
Call 866-418-1777 and talk to a tank specialist, run the freight cost estimator for a real quote to your ZIP, or let Find My Tank narrow it by what you store and where it goes.
Shop by type: water tanks, septic tanks, rainwater tanks, storage tanks, cone tanks, vertical tanks. Tools: tank sizing calculator, chemical tank recommender, freight cost estimator.