The Chem-Tainer 18 Gallon PE Rectangular Open Top Tank is a compact polyethylene container built for batch mixing, parts washing, small-volume holding, and bench-scale water handling where an open top keeps filling, stirring, and cleanout straightforward. The rectangular footprint sets squarely against a wall or inside a containment tray and lines up side by side with other tanks better than a round drum, which makes it a practical pick when you need a tidy water-handling station on a bench or equipment skid.
Will it work for my job?
This is a rectangular open top tank molded in polyethylene, the workhorse plastic for open water and general-service holding. Filled to the brim with water it carries roughly 150 pounds, so size your stand, shelf, or cart for that loaded weight. The open top gives you full access for hand-mixing, scooping, or dropping in a pump or float, and the flat sides make it easy to set multiple units together when one station is not enough. If you are weighing this 18-gallon size against a larger open tank, run your batch volume through our Tank Sizing Calculator or read the Tank Sizing Guide before you commit.
What to watch out for
This is a water and general open-top service tank, not a sealed chemical vessel. An open top means no headspace seal, so it is meant for holding, mixing, and transfer at ambient conditions rather than pressurized or fully contained storage. It ships with no fittings, so you will plumb or dip into it from the top rather than relying on a factory bulkhead outlet. If your application is potable water, dosing chemicals, or anything regulated, confirm the resin and any required listings for that use before you buy. The reliable move on a small open tank like this is to size for the actual batch volume you handle at once and to support the full loaded weight on a flat, level surface.
Specs at a glance
Capacity: 18 gallons. Material: polyethylene. Type: rectangular open top tank. Full water weight: about 150 lb. Fittings: none, open-top access only.
Freight and ordering
This tank ships LTL freight from the Chem-Tainer plant in Delano, MN, a single confirmed origin, so a quote to your ZIP code is an accurate number rather than a guess. Keep in mind that an 18-gallon tank is light but still moves on a palletized LTL minimum, so check the cost before you assume it ships cheap. Get your number in seconds with our Freight Cost Estimator, or call 866-418-1777 and we will work out the best routing for your delivery.
