Chem-Tainer 18 Gallon PE Rectangular Open Top Tank

The Chem-Tainer 18 Gallon PE Rectangular Open Top Tank is a compact, open-top polyethylene container built for hand-loading, batching, parts soaking, and small-scale water holding where you need an open mouth and a footprint that tucks into a workbench, cabinet, or trailer. At 18 gallons of rated capacity in a straightforward rectangular open-top format, this is the size you reach for when a drum is too round and a stock tank is too big.

Will it work for your job?

This is a polyethylene rectangular open top tank rated at 18 gallons. Filled to capacity with water it carries roughly 150 lb, so plan your stand, shelf, or pad for that loaded weight, not the empty shell. Because it is open top, it is suited to applications where you dip, pour, or load by hand rather than seal and pressurize. Buyers shop this one as an open top tank, an open tank, and a rectangular tank, and that is exactly the role it fills: an accessible, open-mouth vessel for water and general-purpose holding. If you are unsure whether 18 gallons matches your throughput or reserve needs, run the numbers in our Tank Sizing Calculator or read the Tank Sizing Guide before you order.

Dimensions, weight, and fit-up

For exact outside dimensions and the open-top opening, refer to the specifications and the technical drawing on this page, and confirm the footprint clears your bench, cabinet, or enclosure before ordering. Empty, the tank is light enough to reposition by hand; full, treat it as a 150 lb load and support it on a flat, continuous surface. If this tank will sit on a slab or elevated pad, our guide on concrete pad sizing for above-ground polyethylene tanks covers how to size and detail the bearing surface.

The mistake to avoid

Size for the loaded weight and the surface, not the empty tank. Open-top vessels carry their full water load directly on the base, so seat this tank on a flat, fully supported surface rather than spanning it across rails, gaps, or an uneven shelf; concentrated or edge-only support is what cracks the bottom of an open-top tank over time. Verify the listed outside dimensions against your installation envelope before you commit, because a rectangular footprint that looks like it fits a round-tank cutout often does not.

Freight and ordering

This tank ships LTL freight from Delano, MN, with the final cost quoted live to your ZIP code. Small open-top tanks like this one are light but bulky, so LTL is the practical mode for delivery. Get a real number for your address with our Freight Cost Estimator, or call us at 866-418-1777 and we will work the freight and lead time with you. The listed price is for the tank itself; freight is quoted separately to your ZIP.