The Chem-Tainer 3200 Gallon Plastic Vertical Liquid Storage Tank is a large-volume polyethylene vertical tank built for bulk liquid storage where footprint matters more than going wide. It stands 112 inches tall - 9 feet 4 inches - on a 95 x 95 inch footprint and holds 3,200 gallons, so a single tank consolidates storage that would otherwise take a bank of smaller vessels. If you are searching for a vertical storage tank in this capacity, this is the kind of vertical tank that anchors a rural water reservoir, an irrigation supply, or a process make-up system.
Will it work for your liquid?
This Chem-Tainer vertical tank is molded from polyethylene and carries a 1.5 specific gravity rating, which tells you how heavy a liquid it is engineered to hold. For plain water, with a specific gravity of 1.0, you are well inside the tank's design envelope. The 1.5 rating means the tank wall is built for liquids up to 50 percent denser than water, but the rating is a ceiling, not a guarantee for every fluid - match your liquid's actual specific gravity to the 1.5 number before you fill, and if your liquid's specific gravity exceeds 1.5, this tank is not rated for it. Call 866-418-1777 about a higher-SG version before you order. Full of water the tank carries 26,688 pounds, and at the maximum rated contents it reaches 40,032 pounds. Those numbers, not the empty tank weight, are what your pad and site have to support. Use the Tank Sizing Calculator and the Tank Sizing Guide to confirm the 3,200-gallon size fits your draw-down and refill cycle.
Foundation, clearance, and site setup
At more than 13 tons full of water and over 20 tons at the maximum rated load, this tank lives or dies on its foundation. A flat, level, fully supporting pad sized for the loaded weight is not optional on a tank this size. At 9 feet 4 inches tall, confirm overhead clearance for fill access and any doorway, ceiling, or structure on the delivery path before the truck arrives. Our guide on concrete pad sizing for above-ground polyethylene tanks walks through the ACI 360R-10 framework for getting the pad right under a 95 x 95 inch footprint. For larger water programs, the industrial water reuse tank topology guide shows how a tank this size fits into grey-water, rainwater, and condensate aggregation trains. Outdoor cold-climate water service needs freeze planning on a tank this tall - the freeze-protection section of the fire-water reservoir design guide covers engineering for cold climates, and the same guide details NFPA 22 sizing discipline if you are planning private fire-protection storage.
The mistake to avoid
The most common error on a tank this size is under-building the foundation by planning around the empty or even the water-filled weight instead of the maximum rated 40,032 pounds. The second is assuming the 1.5 specific gravity rating clears any liquid - it does not. The rating is about density, not chemical resistance, so a dense or aggressive fluid still needs its own compatibility check, and that check covers the fitting and gasket materials too, not just the polyethylene wall. Before you plumb the site, request the fitting and outlet schematic by calling 866-418-1777 so outlet locations are confirmed for your layout. For a side-by-side on brand construction in the vertical category, the Snyder vs Norwesco vs Chem-Tainer vertical storage tank comparison is worth a read.
This tank ships LTL freight from Hummelstown, PA, and freight is quoted live to your ZIP - get your number with the Freight Cost Estimator or call us at 866-418-1777. We will help you confirm the right size, foundation plan, and delivery for your site.
