1320 Gallon 15 Degree Cone Bottom Tank: Complete Buyer's Guide
The 1,320-gallon 15-degree cone bottom tank is a full-drain process vessel — 91 inches across and 64 inches tall, with a gently sloped 15-degree cone that empties completely through the bottom outlet. Rated to a 1.5 specific gravity, it's built for mixing, batching, and chemical processing where you need every gallon out and no settled residue left behind.
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
A cone bottom tank exists for one reason: complete drainage. Where a flat-bottom tank leaves a shallow pool of liquid and settled solids around the outlet, the 1,320-gallon's sloped floor funnels everything to a single low point and out the bottom fitting. The 15-degree cone is the shallow-angle choice — it drains thoroughly for free-flowing liquids while keeping the tank's overall height down compared to a steeper cone, which is why it's popular for mixing and batch work where headroom and agitator clearance matter.
Norwesco rotomolds it as a single seamless piece of virgin linear polyethylene rated to a 1.5 specific gravity, so the wall handles process liquids up to 12.5 pounds per gallon — the chemicals, blends, and treatment solutions a process tank cycles through. The seamless construction is doubly valuable on a mixing tank: there's no seam to abrade under agitation and no crevice to trap product between batches. At 91 inches in diameter, it offers a broad liquid surface that suits top-entry mixers.
Here is the defining requirement of any cone bottom tank: it cannot stand on its own. The cone means there is no flat base, so the tank must sit in a stand — the manufacturer's matching stand or a compatible structure rated for the full loaded weight — that supports it around its sidewall skirt and carries the load through the stand's legs. The tank is never, under any circumstances, rested on the apex of the cone or on the bottom outlet. Empty, the tank weighs 239 pounds; filled with a 1.5-SG product it carries roughly 16,752 pounds, and every pound of that must be borne by a properly rated stand.
The bottom outlet is a 2-inch NPT fitting at the cone apex, factory-installed and leak-tested, positioned for complete gravity drainage. The 16-inch lid gives generous access for filling, venting, mixer mounting, and inspection. The translucent natural-white wall lets you monitor the process level and the mixing action. Maximum service temperature is 120°F. Norwesco's 3-year warranty applies, and the tank ships LTL freight — allow a couple of weeks, with liftgate available.
Technical Drawing
Official Norwesco technical drawing — 1320 Gallon 15 Degree Cone Bottom Tank
Key Features and Specifications
- 1,320-gallon capacity — sized for full-drain mixing and batch processing
- Constructed from virgin linear polyethylene (HDPE) with 1.5 specific gravity rating — handles liquids up to 12.5 lbs/gal
- 64" tall x 91" diameter — compact vertical footprint
- 239 lbs empty, approximately 16,752 lbs when full at rated specific gravity
- 2" NPT outlet fitting — factory installed and leak-tested
- 16" 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
- Must be installed on the manufacturer-supplied or compatible stand rated for the full loaded weight. Never rest a cone bottom tank directly on its apex
- Ships via LTL freight — allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. Lift gate and residential delivery available at additional cost
Installation and Setup Guide
Installing a cone bottom tank is fundamentally about the stand. Get the stand right — rated, level, and properly supporting the tank — and the rest is straightforward plumbing. Get it wrong and you risk dropping sixteen thousand pounds of process liquid.
Stand and Foundation
The tank requires a stand rated for the full loaded weight — roughly 16,752 pounds at 1.5 SG — that cradles the tank around its sidewall and transfers the load through its legs. Use the manufacturer's matching stand or a compatible structure engineered for this tank and load; never improvise. The stand legs in turn must sit on a level, load-bearing surface — a concrete slab is strongly preferred — with the footprint sized so the leg loads don't punch through or settle. Confirm the stand is level so the cone drains evenly to the apex.
Placement and Connections
The whole point of the cone is the bottom drain, so plumb the 2-inch apex outlet for a clean, unobstructed run — a full-port valve right at the outlet preserves the complete-drain advantage. The stand raises the tank, which conveniently gives you room to fit a valve and route the discharge below; plan that clearance. Use flexible connections at the outlet to absorb the tank's flex and any agitator-induced vibration, and match all wetted materials to the process chemical.
Venting and Mixing
Provide a vent in the 16-inch lid sized to your fastest fill or draw — a fast bottom-drain can pull vacuum quickly. If you're mounting a top-entry mixer, support it on a bridge or the stand structure rather than hanging its full load off the lid, and verify the agitator clearance against the 64-inch tank height and the 15-degree cone profile so the impeller sweeps the cone effectively without striking it. For off-gassing chemistry, fit a chemical-rated pressure/vacuum vent.
Maintenance and Long-Term Care
A process cone tank earns its keep through clean, complete batches, so maintenance centers on the stand's integrity, the drain path, and thorough between-batch cleaning — this is chemical-service equipment, not a water tank.
Quarterly Inspection Checklist
- Stand: Inspect the stand for corrosion, cracked welds, loosened fasteners, or any leg that has settled. The stand carries the entire load — any weakening of it is the most serious finding on a cone tank. Confirm it remains level so the cone drains evenly.
- Cone and apex: Check the cone wall and the area around the apex outlet for stress or distortion, and confirm the cradle is supporting the tank correctly — never let the apex bear weight.
- Outlet valve: Inspect the 2-inch apex fitting and valve for weeping or product buildup that would compromise the full drain.
- Vent and mixer mount: Confirm the vent is clear and any mixer mount is secure and not loading the lid.
Cleaning and Changeover
The cone's complete drainage is its cleaning superpower — open the apex valve and the batch, including settled solids, runs out fully rather than leaving a residual pool. Between products, drain completely, then flush per the outgoing chemical's procedure; the full-drain geometry means a proper flush genuinely empties the tank, but verify through the 16-inch lid that the cone and outlet are clear. Confirm the polyethylene is compatible with the incoming chemistry, and manage rinsate per the label.
UV and Heat
If the tank is outdoors, inspect the wall yearly for chalking. Many cone tanks live indoors in process areas, which spares them UV but raises the importance of ventilation for any off-gassing chemistry. Keep within the 120°F service limit, particularly if your process generates heat through mixing or reaction.
Alternatives and Comparisons
Choosing a cone tank is mostly about cone angle and whether you need full drainage at all:
15-degree versus a steeper cone: the shallow 15-degree cone drains free-flowing liquids well while keeping the tank shorter and the mixing geometry favorable — ideal for thin process liquids. For thick slurries, settling solids, or sticky products, a steeper cone (30-degree or more) sheds material more aggressively at the cost of added height and a taller stand.
Cone bottom versus flat-bottom vertical: if complete drainage and clean batch changeovers matter, the cone is worth the stand and the height. If you're simply storing a single product long-term, a flat-bottom vertical is cheaper, self-supporting, and lower — the cone's drainage advantage only pays off when you're cycling product.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will the 1320 Gallon 15 Degree Cone Bottom Tank last?
Fifteen to twenty years is realistic with a properly rated, level stand and use within the 1.5-SG and 120°F limits. On a cone tank the stand is as important as the tank itself — a failing or unlevel stand is the main risk — while the seamless wall, free of seams to abrade under mixing, reaches the upper range when supported correctly.
What chemicals can I store in this tank?
Rated to a 1.5 specific gravity, it handles process chemicals, blends, and treatment solutions up to 12.5 pounds per gallon. It is not for fuels, solvents, or flammables. Because cone tanks cycle product and often mix, verify the polyethylene against a compatibility chart for each chemical you run — poly resists most acids and bases but is attacked by certain hydrocarbons and strong oxidizers.
What kind of foundation does a 1320-gallon tank need?
A cone bottom tank does not sit on a foundation directly — it requires a stand rated for the full loaded weight (roughly 16,752 pounds here) that cradles the tank and carries the load through its legs. Never rest the tank on the cone apex. The stand's legs then sit on a level, load-bearing surface, ideally a concrete slab. The stand, not a pad, is the critical support element.
Does this tank come with a warranty?
Yes — Norwesco's 3-year warranty covers factory material and workmanship defects. It excludes over-spec products, improper support (including resting on the apex or using an inadequate stand), incompatible-chemical attack, and impact damage. Document your rated stand and level setup for any claim.
Can I install this tank underground?
No — this is an above-ground process vessel designed to drain through a bottom cone while supported in a stand; it cannot be buried. For below-grade storage, use a purpose-built underground cistern engineered for soil load.
Buying Considerations
The single most important purchase decision with a cone tank is the stand. Confirm you're getting — or have — a stand rated for the full loaded weight and matched to this tank; the tank is unusable and unsafe without one. Then verify your process liquid is at or under 1.5 SG, plan the bottom-outlet plumbing and valve clearance under the stand, and confirm the 64-inch tank height plus stand height fits your space and any mixer. It ships LTL on a pallet — allow a couple of weeks, and request a liftgate if you lack a dock or forklift.
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