The Chem-Tainer 36 Gallon PE Rectangular Open Top Tank is a compact polyethylene container built for above-ground water service where you need a full open work surface and easy reach into the tank. At 36 gallons in a rectangular open top format, it fits the role most buyers describe when they search for an open top tank or a rectangular tank: parts washing, batch mixing, holding, dipping, rinse stations, and small-volume water transfer where a lid would only get in the way.
Specs at a glance
- Capacity: 36 gallons
- Full water weight: ~300 lb (filled with water)
- Material: polyethylene (PE)
- Type: rectangular open top tank
- Fittings: none listed - open top access only, bring-your-own connections
- Dimensions: see the technical drawing on this page
Will it work for your application?
This is a 36-gallon rectangular open top tank molded in polyethylene. The open top gives you full top access, so it suits hand-loading, manual dipping, and any process where you work in and out of the tank rather than sealing it. Filled with water, plan for roughly 300 lb of full water weight on whatever supports it, so a flat, level, fully supported base matters - the rectangular footprint is meant to sit on a continuous surface, not on point supports. There are no factory-plumbed fittings on this tank, so any inlet, outlet, or overflow is yours to add. For exact internal and external dimensions, wall layout, and any molded-in features, see the technical drawing on this page and confirm the open top opening will clear whatever you are lowering in or out.
Sizing the tank to your job
If you are still deciding whether 36 gallons is the right working volume, run your numbers through the Tank Sizing Calculator and read the Tank Sizing Guide before you order - it is cheaper to right-size once than to buy twice. If this tank will hold water for a larger system, our guide on industrial water reuse tank topology covers how small holding tanks fit into grey-water, rainwater, and condensate aggregation trains.
Mistakes to avoid
The most common error with an open top tank is treating it like a sealed vessel. With no lid, this tank is for atmospheric, vented service - it is not built to hold pressure or vacuum, and an open top means evaporation, debris, and splash are all in play, so site it accordingly. The second is the foundation: rectangular tanks must be fully and evenly supported across the base, because the flat walls carry the water load differently than a round tank. If you are setting it on a slab, our concrete pad sizing guide walks through the ACI framework for above-ground polyethylene tanks. And if this is going into a cold-climate or freeze-exposed location, account for ice expansion before winter - our fire-water reservoir design guide covers freeze-protection engineering for cold-climate service.
This tank ships LTL freight from West Babylon, NY, with freight quoted live to your ZIP - get your freight estimate up front with our Freight Cost Estimator, or call us at 866-418-1777 and we will quote it for you and confirm the right open top tank for your job.
