The Chem-Tainer 150 Gallon PE Rectangular Open Top Tank is a 150-gallon polyethylene rectangular open top tank built for batching, mixing, washdown, and general water storage where you need full top access. The open top lets you fill by hand, drop in a pump or mixer, monitor levels by eye, and clean out between batches - the no-lid container operators reach for when an open tank beats a sealed one. Filled with water it carries roughly 1,251 lb, so the pad or stand under it has to be rated for that load before you fill.
Will it work for your job
This is a 150 gallon rectangular open top tank molded from polyethylene by Chem-Tainer. The rectangular footprint uses floor space efficiently and sits flat against a wall or in a corner better than a round tank of the same capacity, which is why it is a common pick for tight equipment rooms, batching stations, and secondary catch duty. Check the tank's outside dimensions and rim height against your space and doorway on the technical drawing on this page before you order, and confirm the rim height suits how you plan to fill it. One thing to settle up front: this open top tank has no molded outlet or bulkhead - you drain it by pump, siphon, or tip, so plan your emptying method before it arrives. To match capacity to your actual draw and refill cycle, run the Tank Sizing Calculator or read the Tank Sizing Guide.
Mounting and load
Full water weight is about 1,251 lb, and that load has to go somewhere. Set an open top tank on a flat, fully supporting surface - it should bear on its entire base, not span a gap or sit on rails. If you are placing it on a concrete pad, size and reinforce the pad for the filled weight; our guide on concrete pad sizing for above-ground polyethylene tanks walks through the ACI framework for getting that right. Keep the open top covered or screened if the tank lives outdoors, so you are not collecting debris, insects, or rainwater you did not plan for.
One mistake to avoid
The common error with an open top tank is treating the rim as a usable fill line - it is not. An open top container has no sealed headspace, so overfilling simply spills over the edge, and a vigorous pump or mixer can slosh water out long before the tank is visually full. Leave real freeboard at the top, especially if anything is agitating the contents. The flat bottom also leaves a residual heel that a flat-bottom open tank will not drain on its own - if complete gravity drainage and solids handling matter for your process, compare cone-bottom options and read the Chem-Tainer cone-bottom 30 vs 45 drainage guide. If your use is rainwater capture, reuse, or fire-water reserve rather than open batching, look at the topology in our industrial water reuse tank topology guide and the fire-water reservoir design guide before you commit.
This tank ships LTL freight from the Chem-Tainer plant in West Babylon, New York, with the cost quoted live to your ZIP. Northeast buyers see the shortest haul; if you are farther out, expect more for the run - either way, get your number on the Freight Cost Estimator or call us at 866-418-1777 and we will quote it by phone. We will help you confirm the rectangular open top tank is the right 150 gallon fit before it leaves the dock.
