The Chem-Tainer 275 gallon open top batch storage tank (SKU TC4248AA) is a cylindrical, open-top polyethylene tank standing 48 inches tall on a 42-inch diameter base, molded in natural white. The open top makes it a working tank for batching, mixing, and short-cycle water storage where you need full overhead access rather than a sealed dome. This is the white open top tank operators reach for when a closed vertical would get in the way of paddles, pumps, hoses, or hand-loading.
Will it work for your job?
At 275 gallons, a full load of water weighs roughly 2,294 pounds, so plan your pad and supports for that mass before you fill it. What sets this open top tank apart is its 1.9 specific gravity rating - it is built to hold contents up to 1.9 times the weight of water, with a maximum rated contents weight of about 4,358 pounds. That is a noticeably heavier-duty wall than the standard 1.5 SG water and batch tanks most operators see, so if you are choosing between specific-gravity tiers, this is the upgraded option. Most water and batch-storage duty sits well inside that envelope. Confirm your fill weight against your foundation with the Tank Sizing Calculator, and if you are weighing this against another capacity, the Tank Sizing Guide walks through footprint and headroom tradeoffs.
Siting, pad, and reservoir use
A round open top tank like this transfers its full load straight down through the base, so it wants a flat, fully supported surface - never a partial bearing. For a permanent above-ground install, our guide on concrete pad sizing for above-ground polyethylene tanks covers sizing a slab to the 42-inch-diameter bearing area and the loaded weight. If you are using it as part of a rural or remote fire-water reserve, the fire-water reservoir tank design guide covers NFPA 22 sizing discipline. And if it feeds a reuse or aggregation train, the industrial water reuse tank topology guide shows where an open top batch tank fits in a quality-banded storage sequence.
Fittings and the mistake to avoid
This tank ships with no fittings. As an open top tank, outlets and bulkhead fittings with gaskets are added in the field per your application, not molded in at the factory - size and place them to suit your plumbing once the tank is set. The most common error here is treating an open top like a sealed vertical: the open top is the access and the vent, so it is not the tank for pressurized, sealed, or fully enclosed storage, and it should be sited where rain, debris, or contamination ingress is managed or where a separate cover is added. Watch your contents density too - the 1.9 SG rating is the ceiling, not a target, so any fluid heavier than 1.9 needs a higher-rated tank. See the technical drawing on this page for exact dimensions before you build supports.
This open top storage tank ships LTL freight, quoted live to your ZIP, from the nearest Chem-Tainer plant. Get a real freight number with the Freight Cost Estimator or call us at 866-418-1777, and we will quote the closest origin to keep your delivered timeline and cost down.
