200 Gallon Plastic Water Storage Tank - Black (35" x 59"): Complete Buyer's Guide
200 Gallon Plastic Water Storage Tank - Black (35" x 59") from Norwesco.
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 1.0 — the tank is engineered for liquids up to 1.0× the density of water (water is about 8.34 lb/gal). Confirm your fluid’s SG before storage.
Installation and Setup Guide
This 200-gallon black tank trades the slim-column profile for a stockier 35-inch base under a 59-inch body, and that proportion changes the install in your favor: more base, lower center of gravity, less worry about a lean. The load is still around a couple thousand pounds when full, so a flat, firm pad remains the non-negotiable, but tipping is far less of a concern than on a tall-and-narrow tank.
Site Preparation
Set it on a level four-inch concrete pad or a compacted crushed-stone bed extending a few inches past the 35-inch base. Bring it flat across the full diameter — a tank that sits true loads its floor evenly, while a slope drives the weight to one edge and works the lower wall harder than the rest. Skip loose pea gravel and bare soil, which migrate under the repeated fill-and-empty cycle.
Placement and Connections
Take the discharge from the lowest fitting and keep the line short and direct to cut friction and leak points. Join the first segment with a flexible coupling rather than hard pipe; a black shell warms in sun and shifts as it fills, and a rigid connection passes that motion straight into the fitting until it weeps. Hand-tight plus a quarter turn is the limit — never a wrench on poly threads.
Venting
Air has to move in step with the water. Keep the lid's vent open and screened so the tank pulls air in as you draw down and pushes it out as you fill; a sealed or clogged vent answers a hard pump-out by drawing a vacuum that can pull the wall inward. The screen keeps insects and grit out without choking the flow.
Maintenance and Long-Term Care
Keeping 200 gallons of drinking water clean takes minutes, and the black wall helps by blocking the light algae need. The short routine below is really about freshness — at this volume the water sits longer between turnovers, so a regular reset matters more than any structural worry.
Quarterly Inspection Checklist
- Shell sweep: Walk the 59-inch body and watch for any low bulge, the early sign of a settled base or overweight contents.
- Fitting check: Hand-tighten the outlet and any inlet that has loosened; poly relaxes around threads over time and a wrench cracks it.
- Base review: Verify the 35-inch base still sits on a level pad with no rain erosion at the edges.
- Vent clearance: Make sure the screened lid vent is open and free of debris so the tank can breathe both directions.
Cleaning
Empty the 200 gallons through the bottom outlet once a year, rinse the inside, and sanitize on the refill with roughly a quarter cup of unscented bleach per fifteen gallons, two hours of contact, then flush until the chlorine smell clears. The annual cycle clears the sediment that settles on the floor and keeps the reserve drinkable rather than stale.
UV and Weather Protection
Black is the most UV-resistant color this tank comes in, but the stabilizer in the resin still wears down under years of sun. If it lives outdoors in strong light, look over the sun-facing side each year for chalk or fade; the modest size also makes it easy to slide into shade if you want to add years.
Alternatives and Comparisons
This stocky 35-inch by 59-inch black tank is the more stable way to hold 200 gallons, against the taller column version that wins on floor space. Sizing down eases the pad and the freight; sizing up adds reserve where the ground allows. Compare the shapes below to fit your spot.
Other -Gallon Options
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will the 200 Gallon Plastic Water Storage Tank - Black (35" x 59") last?
With a level base, fills inside its rating, and the light annual sanitize, this black 200-gallon tank comfortably passes the fifteen-year mark. The seamless rotomolded wall has no weld to open and the black pigment gives it the best UV life of any color; stagnant water or a bad base ends tanks early, not the polyethylene.
What chemicals can I store in this tank?
Built for potable water and food-grade liquids, it also takes the lighter farm and household solutions within reason. Keep fuels, solvents, and flammables out entirely, and check anything else against a polyethylene compatibility chart first — poly handles most acids and bases but not certain oxidizers and hydrocarbons.
Does this tank come with a warranty?
Yes — Norwesco warrants it against defects in materials and workmanship under normal use. That protects against factory faults, not against overfilling beyond rating, a poor install, chemical attack, or impact damage. Keep the receipt and a photo or two from the install for any claim.
Can I install this tank underground?
No, it is an above-ground tank only. Its flat wall is not built to resist the pressure of surrounding soil, so burying it risks collapse and voids the warranty. Use a purpose-built ribbed underground cistern for any below-grade storage.
Buying Considerations
Verify the footprint and overhead clearance where it will sit, make sure the pad can be brought flat since even a stocky tank works best dead-level, and plan the offload — at a couple hundred gallons it ships easily but still wants a firm spot waiting for it.
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