13000 Gallon Vertical Liquid Storage Tank: Complete Buyer's Guide
13,000-gallon white liquid storage tank built for agricultural chemical and fertilizer storage. Manufactured by Norwesco from virgin linear polyethylene (HDPE) rated to handle liquids up to 12.5 pounds per gallon. FDA approved for contact with potable water, ensuring safe storage for drinking water and food-grade liquids.
Specifications at a Glance
Every figure below is pulled straight from the live product record for this exact tank — the same data on the product page, so what you read here and what you buy never disagree.
Standards & Materials
- ASTM D1998 — Standard Specification for Polyethylene Upright Storage Tanks. Governs wall-thickness and hydrostatic design for vertical rotomolded poly tanks of this class.
- FDA 21 CFR 177.1520 — Olefin polymers. The food-contact regulation the FDA-grade resin in this tank is compounded to meet.
- Specific gravity rating 1.5 — the tank is engineered for liquids up to 1.5× the density of water (water is about 8.34 lb/gal). Confirm your fluid’s SG before storage.
Product Overview
The 13,000 Gallon Vertical Liquid Storage Tank takes the broad 144-inch base of the balanced 11,000-gallon tank and reaches higher — 198 inches, over sixteen feet — to add two thousand gallons of capacity without widening the footprint. It is the high-capacity option for operations that have settled on the 144-inch pad size and want to maximize what that pad holds, serving large fertilizer terminals and industrial chemical operations.
Norwesco molds the body in one seamless piece of virgin linear polyethylene rated to 1.5 specific gravity, handling agricultural and industrial liquids to 12.5 pounds per gallon. The translucent natural-white shell lets operators read inventory at ground level and reflects sun to hold contents cooler, with compounded UV inhibitors and a 120 F / 48 C rating.
It weighs 2,713 pounds empty and reaches roughly 165,343 pounds full at 1.5 SG — nearly eighty-three tons. At this volume the outlet is a 3-inch stainless-steel bolted fitting with a 3-inch by 5.5-inch siphon, mechanically clamped through the wall for the higher loads, and the 22-inch lid gives interior access. The tank is warranted by Norwesco for 3 years against manufacturing defects.
Technical Drawing
Official Norwesco technical drawing — 13000 Gallon Vertical Liquid Storage Tank
Key Features and Specifications
- 13,000-gallon capacity — sized for agricultural chemical and fertilizer storage
- Constructed from virgin linear polyethylene (HDPE) with 1.5 specific gravity rating — handles liquids up to 12.5 lbs/gal
- 198" tall x 144" diameter — compact vertical footprint
- 2713 lbs empty, approximately 165,343 lbs when full at rated specific gravity
- 3" Stainless Steel Bolted Fitting -with 3" x 5-1/2" siphon NPT outlet fitting — factory installed and leak-tested
- 22" lid opening for fill, venting, and interior access
- FDA approved for potable water and food-grade liquid contact
- 3 Year Warranty from Norwesco against manufacturing defects
- Translucent white walls allow visual level monitoring without opening the tank and reflect sunlight to keep contents cooler
- Rated for continuous service up to 120 F / 48 C
- Seamless one-piece rotational molding — no seams, no welds, no leak points
- Manufactured by Norwesco — a leading name in rotomolded polyethylene tanks
- Large tanks require professional installation. Ensure the pad is level within 1 inch across the full diameter and that all piping connections allow for thermal expansion
- Ships via dedicated freight carrier due to oversized dimensions — contact us for delivery timeline and site access requirements
Installation and Setup Guide
Adding height to the 144-inch base to reach thirteen thousand gallons concentrates nearly eighty-three tons onto that footprint and crosses into stainless-bolted-fitting territory, so both the foundation and the outlet warrant careful attention.
Engineered Foundation
Have a structural engineer design a reinforced concrete slab for roughly 165,343 pounds over the 144-inch base, flat across the full diameter and built as secondary containment. The base is wide, but at over sixteen feet tall the tank still demands true leveling, because a tilt at the base is amplified at height and loads the wall and the bolted fitting unevenly. Cure fully and grade for spill capture.
The Stainless Bolted Fitting
The 3-inch stainless-steel bolted fitting with its siphon is mechanically assembled through the wall and carries the full hydrostatic load of a sixteen-foot column — a more robust outlet than the molded threaded fittings on smaller tanks. Install it with even torque and chemistry-compatible gaskets, plumb from it in schedule 80 PVC or stainless, keep the first foot flexible for thermal movement, and support the run independently.
Venting
Mount a large pressure/vacuum relief vent on the 22-inch lid, rated for the chemical and sized for bulk transfer rates. A tall thirteen-thousand-gallon tank draining quickly will pull a hard vacuum on the upper wall if under-vented, so size the vent generously and keep it screened and clear.
Maintenance and Long-Term Care
A tall 13,000-gallon chemical tank is monitored for foundation soundness and plumb, chemical compatibility, and the integrity of its stainless bolted outlet.
Inspection
- Foundation and plumb: Inspect the containment slab for cracks and settlement and confirm the tank stands plumb; a lean on a sixteen-foot tank signals foundation movement to correct before refilling.
- Stainless bolted fitting: Verify even bolt torque and gasket integrity at the outlet, which bears the full column load — a focused check beyond the routine leak inspection.
- Wall: Read the lower wall for bulging or stress whitening under peak pressure and watch for swelling that flags a compatibility problem with the stored chemical.
Product Changes
Bring the tank offline, drain it through the siphon, and clean the interior through the 22-inch lid under confined-space procedures; decontaminate to the incoming chemical's specification and confirm the new product, and the bolted-fitting gaskets, against a polyethylene compatibility chart. With no potable function, cleaning is about preventing carryover and confirming compatibility.
UV and Heat
Sustained sun is no threat to the compounded UV package; inspect the sun-facing surface annually in severe-UV climates. The reflective white surface helps keep internal temperature and vapor pressure in check across a tall, large sun-exposed wall.
Alternatives and Comparisons
At 13,000 gallons on the 144-inch base, this tank is the tall sibling of the 11,000-gallon vessel, so the comparison is capacity versus stability on a shared footprint.
Tall 13,000 vs. balanced 11,000: Both stand on the same 144-inch base, but this tank goes taller to add two thousand gallons, raising the center of gravity and the height-access demands while keeping the footprint identical. If you have committed to the 144-inch pad and need maximum capacity from it, this is the tank; if stability and easier service outweigh the extra volume, the shorter 11,000-gallon tank on the same base is the steadier choice. Against multiple smaller tanks, this single vessel offers lower cost per gallon at the expense of redundancy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will the 13000 Gallon Vertical Liquid Storage Tank last?
On a level, engineered containment foundation and within its 1.5 SG and 120 F ratings, the tank reliably serves 15 to 20 years. Both the compounded UV package and the seamless shell are engineered for it, and the stainless bolted fitting holds up with proper torque and gasket upkeep. A foundation that keeps the tall tank plumb and compatible chemistry govern the rest.
What chemicals can I store in this tank?
Rated to 1.5 specific gravity, the tank takes most liquid fertilizers, crop-protection chemicals, and industrial solutions to 12.5 pounds per gallon. Run each product against a polyethylene compatibility chart and confirm gasket compatibility at the bolted fitting; the resin resists many acids and bases yet not certain solvents and oxidizers. No fuels or flammables. It is chemical-storage equipment, not a potable-water tank.
What kind of foundation does a 13000-gallon tank need?
A full 13,000-gallon tank weighs about 165,343 pounds at 1.5 SG — nearly eighty-three tons on the 144-inch base, concentrated by the tall profile. That requires a reinforced concrete slab engineered for the load, flat across the full diameter and serving as secondary containment, with careful leveling because the tank is tall.
Does this tank come with a warranty?
Yes. The 3-year Norwesco warranty applies to manufacturing defects in materials and workmanship under normal use, but excludes damage from incompatible chemistry, exceeding the rated density, a poor or unlevel foundation, or impact. Hold onto documentation and photos of the engineered setup.
Can I install this tank underground?
No. A tall vertical tank is built strictly for above-ground duty and cannot resist soil pressure; burying it would collapse it and void coverage. Storing product below grade calls for purpose-engineered reinforced structures, not an above-ground poly tank.
Buying Considerations
Three commitments come with this tall 13,000-gallon tank. First, the engineered containment foundation: a reinforced slab sized for eighty-three tons, true to level despite the wide base because the height amplifies any tilt, and curbed for containment. Second, access and overhead — the sixteen-foot shell ships oversized, needs a crane to set, and requires height-safe service access. Third, the chemical's compatibility with the resin and the bolted-fitting gaskets, verified on a polyethylene chart. Listed at $20,655.47 before freight, on a dedicated carrier to your ZIP.
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