165 Gallon Vertical Liquid Storage Tank: Complete Buyer's Guide
The 165-gallon Norwesco 40281 is the small, easy-to-place chemical upright — 56 inches tall on a 31-inch base, just 54 pounds empty, and slim enough to slide into a corner, a containment tray, or onto a small skid. Its 1.5-specific-gravity wall handles chemicals up to 12.5 pounds per gallon.
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 165 Gallon Vertical Liquid Storage Tank is the format for modest chemical volumes and tight spots. At 56 inches tall on a 31-inch base, it stands a little under five feet and takes barely 5.2 square feet of floor — small enough for one person to move empty and to position beside a dosing pump or in a treatment closet without a forklift.
Its compactness is the appeal. A hundred and sixty-five gallons in so small a footprint suits day tanks, metering supply, and any application where you need a buffer of chemical close to the point of use. The 56-inch height gives the outlet enough head for a metering pump, and translucent white walls let you read the level at a glance.
Filled with a 1.5-SG liquid the tank reaches about 2,118 pounds — just over a ton, still a real load over the small base. A 2-inch NPT outlet is installed at the bottom, and the 16-inch lid handles filling and access — generous for a tank this size, making it easy to add a sensor or fill line. The factory supplies no inlet fitting.
One-piece molding leaves no seam to leak, UV stabilizer is in the resin, and Norwesco's 3-year defect warranty applies. Every unit is inspected before it leaves our dock.
Technical Drawing
Official Norwesco technical drawing — 165 Gallon Vertical Liquid Storage Tank
Key Features and Specifications
- 165-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
- 56" tall x 31" diameter — compact vertical footprint
- 54 lbs empty, approximately 2,118 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
- Place on a firm, level surface free of rocks or sharp objects that could damage the tank bottom. Ensure adequate ventilation if stored chemicals produce vapors
- Ships via LTL freight on a pallet — residential delivery with lift gate available
Installation and Setup Guide
The 165 is the easiest tank in this batch to handle, but a level base and basic restraint still apply — a ton of liquid over five square feet is a meaningful point load, and a light, tall-ish tank can be tipped if knocked.
Site Preparation
Stand it on a firm, flat surface that fully supports the 31-inch base — a slab, a containment tray, or a sturdy bench pad. Keep it level within a quarter inch so the tank stands true and loads its base evenly. Clear any grit from beneath the bottom. If it lives empty outdoors, a simple tie-down keeps the light shell from being knocked over.
Placement and Connections
Aim the 2-inch outlet toward your pump and keep the run short. Run schedule-80 PVC or stainless into the bulkhead, snug by hand with a strap-wrench finish, and put a flex coupling ahead of rigid pipe to take up thermal movement. A foot of clearance is enough to sample and inspect.
Venting
Even a small day tank can be collapsed by an over-eager pump. Ensure the lid vent admits air as fast as the pump draws, and on chemical service fit a pressure-vacuum relief vent matched to the product.
Maintenance and Long-Term Care
This tank is about as close to maintenance-free as it gets; a quick quarterly check keeps it sound.
Quarterly Inspection Checklist
- Shell: Look for any bulge or a flat spot at the base indicating overload or settled support.
- Outlet: Feel the 2-inch fitting for weeping and snug by hand.
- Base: Confirm the surface stays level under the small footprint.
- Vent: Keep the lid vent clear so the tank breathes freely.
Cleaning
Drain through the 2-inch outlet and rinse inside with a solution that neutralizes the prior product ahead of a switch. The roomy 16-inch lid makes a small tank easy to flush from above with a wand. Capture the used rinse and follow SDS disposal instructions for the product.
UV and Weather Protection
The in-resin UV package handles outdoor service; check the south wall annually for chalking. Indoors, where many 165-gallon day tanks live, UV is not a concern.
Alternatives and Comparisons
The 165-gallon size is for small, close-to-use supply. This compact upright saves floor and builds modest outlet head for metering. If you need more buffer in a similar footprint, step up to a 220 or 300. For small batch work needing a clean drain, a small cone-bottom tank empties more completely than this flat bottom. And for water, a water-grade tank costs less by skipping the 1.5-SG wall this chemical version carries.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will the 165 Gallon Vertical Liquid Storage Tank last?
Expect a fifteen-to-twenty-year working life when the tank is kept within 1.5 SG, set level, and used with compatible chemistry. With no seams and UV protection in the resin, the small shell is durable; the usual early-failure causes are an overloaded wall, a vent that pulled a vacuum, or chemical attack on incompatible plastic.
What chemicals can I store in this tank?
At 1.5 SG it handles most treatment chemicals, fertilizers, and many acids and bases up to 12.5 pounds per gallon — a good day-tank choice for metered chemical feed. Polyethylene handles those, yet strong oxidizers and many solvents attack it and flammables are excluded. Verify your specific product on a polyethylene compatibility chart and its specific gravity before the fill.
What kind of foundation does a 165-gallon tank need?
A full load is about 2,118 pounds over the small 31-inch base. A firm, level slab, tray, or bench pad that fully supports the diameter is sufficient. Keep the surface flat within a quarter inch and clear of grit under the bottom.
Does this tank come with a warranty?
Yes — Norwesco's three-year warranty covers material and workmanship faults: pinholes, molding flaws, and fitting defects. It does not cover loads over 1.5 SG, incompatible-chemical attack, a poor foundation, or physical impact. Tuck away your invoice and setup photos should a claim ever be needed.
Can I install this tank underground?
No. This above-ground tank has flat walls that cannot withstand burial; doing so risks collapse and ends the warranty. If you need underground storage, use a ribbed and reinforced cistern designed for burial loads.
Buying Considerations
Three quick checks before ordering this small tank. First, placement — at under five feet tall and 54 pounds empty it goes nearly anywhere, but confirm a flat, supportive base. Second, the liquid: keep it at or under 1.5 specific gravity and verify the weight. Third, freight — it ships easily on a pallet with a lift gate. Call us to arrange delivery.
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