The Bushman 500 Gallon Vertical Water Storage Tank in dark brown is a 500-gallon polyethylene tank built for vertical water storage where a tall, compact footprint matters more than floor space. It stands 71 inches tall on a 48 x 48 inch base, so it tucks against a wall or into a corner while still holding a full 500 gallons. Empty, the poly shell is light enough for a small crew to walk into place by hand; the heavy load comes only from the water, so plan for the contents, not the tank itself. Full, this tank carries 4,170 pounds of water, and that is the number that drives your pad, your tie-downs, and how you site it.
Will it work for your site
This is a water storage tank rated at a 1.0 specific gravity, which is exactly right for fresh water, rainwater capture, and general bulk water holding. It is built for water at fresh-water density; do not use it for liquids heavier than water or for chemical storage, which need a higher-SG-rated tank. Plan the pad and base support around the loaded weight of 4,170 pounds across the 48.0 x 48.0 inch footprint, and confirm the surface is level and continuously supported, not bridged on blocks. The molded fittings shown on the technical drawing on this page include an 8" twist lid up top for fill and access, plus a 1" spin-weld bulkhead with FNPT (female) threads for your outlet plumbing. Bring a 1" male NPT nipple, valve, or barb adapter to mate to that outlet, seal the threaded connection with PTFE tape or pipe dope on the male side, and do not over-torque poly threads. Size your fill line and any vent or overflow to clear the 8" lid opening. If you are weighing this vertical against a horizontal tank in the same range, the vertical vs horizontal water-storage tank tradeoffs guide walks through the footprint and stability differences, and the Tank Sizing Calculator and Tank Sizing Guide help you confirm 500 gallons is the right capacity before you commit.
Common uses for a 500-gallon vertical tank
A 500-gallon vertical water tank sits in a useful middle band: large enough to be a real rainwater harvesting or bulk water storage vessel, small enough to move and site without heavy equipment. Buyers reach for this size for rural fire-water reserves, rainwater collection, and water reuse setups. For rainwater capture specifically, the Bushman rainwater harvesting and first-flush diverter sizing guide covers inlet design; for remote or off-grid protection, the fire-water reservoir design guide covers NFPA 22 sizing; and for grey-water, condensate, or rainwater aggregation, the industrial water reuse tank topology guide covers multi-tank trains.
The mistake to avoid
The most common error on a tank this size is underbuilding the base. At 4,170 pounds full, this tank needs a flat, fully supported, level pad. Setting a 500-gallon vertical tank on uneven ground or partial blocking puts uneven stress on the wall and floor and is the fastest way to shorten its life. Pour or compact a full pad sized to the 48 x 48 inch footprint, set the tank empty, then fill. The second mistake is fitting mismatch: confirm your plumbing is male NPT to mate with the 1" spin-weld FNPT bulkhead, and seal it properly, before delivery.
This Bushman 500-gallon tank ships LTL freight from Fairfield, Texas, with freight quoted live to your ZIP code. Because it ships from Fairfield, Gulf-Coast and South-Central buyers see the shortest LTL lanes, so run your ZIP through the Freight Cost Estimator before you commit. Call 866-418-1777 to confirm fittings, lead time, and delivery, or to spec a higher-SG-rated tank if you need to store something heavier than water.
