The Chem-Tainer 360 Gallon Open Top Batch Storage Tank (TC4848AA) is a polyethylene cylindrical open top tank built for batch mixing, settling, and bulk water storage where a removable-access top matters more than a sealed dome. It holds 360 gallons in a 48-inch cube footprint - 48 in. diameter by 48 in. tall - so it suits a square pad rather than a long run of floor space. The open top gives you full reach for hand-mixing, agitator mounting, manual fill, and a straight-down look at your level. Working height is about 4 ft, so plan reach accordingly if you are hand-agitating from a standing position.
Will it work for your application?
Empty, this is an easy tank to set; loaded, it is not. Filled with water (specific gravity 1.0) the contents alone weigh about 3,002 lb, so the pad and anything under it has to carry roughly a ton and a half of liquid plus the shell. The wall carries a 1.9 specific-gravity rating, putting the maximum rated contents weight at 5,705 lb - that headroom is what lets this tank hold liquids heavier than water. Run the math before you fill: at the 1.9 ceiling the wall sees about 1.9 times water weight, so a liquid at SG 1.5 loads it to roughly 4,503 lb (inside the rating), while anything above 1.9 SG is out of spec regardless of any other consideration. This is a textbook open-top batch vessel for grey-water, rainwater, and HVAC-condensate aggregation - our guide on industrial water reuse tank topology covers quality-banded storage trains if you are aggregating reuse streams. Still choosing between this 360 and a taller or wider unit? Run your batch volume and pad dimensions through the Tank Sizing Calculator and the Tank Sizing Guide before you commit to the 48-inch footprint.
Setting it up right
An open top storage tank lives or dies on its base. Polyethylene needs continuous, flat, full-bottom support - this is not a tank to set on joists, blocks, or an uneven slab. A poured concrete pad sized for the loaded weight is the standard install; our walkthrough on concrete pad sizing for above-ground polyethylene tanks covers the ACI framework so the slab matches the load. Note that this SKU ships as a top-access vessel with no factory-installed bulkhead fittings, outlets, or drains - fill and discharge are over the rim or through field-installed penetrations you spec and add. Because the top is open, plan for a cover, screening, or a separate lid if you intend to keep the water clean; debris, insects, and evaporation are the trade-off for open access. For cold-climate or fire-reserve duty, the fire-water reservoir design guide walks through freeze protection and reservoir sizing if this tank feeds a pump or standpipe. Verify the published dimensions against the technical drawing on this page before you build the pad.
The mistake to avoid
The trap on an open top batch tank is reading the 1.9 specific-gravity rating as a license to store anything. That number is a weight-and-wall-strength limit, not a chemical-compatibility statement. This pack carries no chemical-compatibility data for this SKU, so for any service beyond water do not assume the wall material suits your liquid. Before you buy for anything other than water, confirm two things: (a) your liquid's specific gravity is 1.9 or lower, and (b) the resin plus any field-added gasket or fitting material checks out against the OEM chemical-resistance chart at your concentration and temperature. If you are unsure on either, call 866-418-1777 before purchase and we will work it through with you. The second trap is the footprint: at 48 in. across it is wider than many standard doorways and gates, so confirm the path the tank has to travel against the published dimensions before it ships.
This open top tank is stocked on three mainland coasts - Albertville, AL; Hanford, CA; and West Babylon, NY - so it ships LTL freight from the plant nearest you and does not get hammered by cross-country mileage. Freight is quoted live to your ZIP: get a real number in seconds with our Freight Cost Estimator, or call 866-418-1777 and we will quote the open top storage tank to your delivery address and confirm the right unit for your batch storage job.
