Chem-Tainer 5 Gallon 20 Degree Plastic Vertical Open Top Cone Bottom Tank with Lid

The Chemtainer 5 Gallon 20 Degree Open Top Cone Bottom Tank (SKU TC1113CA) is a small polyethylene batch vessel built for full-drain chemical mixing and dispensing. Molded from polyethylene with a 1.5 specific gravity rating, it stands 13" tall on an 11" diameter footprint, weighs 4 lb empty, and carries a 4" lid at the open top. The 20-degree cone bottom lets you drain solids and slurries cleanly instead of leaving product pooled on a flat floor - the reason bench-scale operators searching for a "5 gallon chemtainer tank" or "vertical open top cone" reach for this shape.

Will it hold what you need?

This is a fixed 5-gallon vessel, so the real decision is not volume - it is fluid density. Five gallons of water at 8.34 lb per gallon is about 42 lb; the 1.5 specific-gravity rating raises the ceiling to roughly 63 lb of contents. That gives you a simple rule: if your fluid is heavier than 1.5 SG, you are over-rated on this tank and should step up to a higher-SG vessel. The support stand or rack has to carry that fully loaded weight over the 11"-diameter base, and the open top with a 4" lid leaves room for a mixer shaft, a sight check, or manual charging. Run your batch through the Tank Sizing Calculator and the Tank Sizing Guide before you order.

Chemical compatibility

This is a polyethylene tank rated to 1.5 specific gravity. The resin is recorded as HDLPE but flagged for confirmation - confirm HDLPE vs XLPE with us before any chemical service, since the two resins behave differently against certain reagents. Compatibility below is drawn from the Snyder Industries OEM chemical-resistance chart and is concentration- and temperature-specific; verify your exact chemical, concentration, temperature, and fitting and gasket materials against the chart before committing.

Within its 1.5-SG rating, this tank suits Acetic Acid (60%, PP/PVC fittings, EPDM gaskets), Aluminum Sulfate (50%, PVC/EPDM), Calcium Chloride (40%, PVC/EPDM), DEF (32.5%, 316SS/EPDM), Ferrous Sulfate (20%, PVC/EPDM), Magnesium Chloride (30%, PVC/EPDM), Sodium Carbonate (30%, PVC/EPDM), Urea Solution (50%, PP/PVC/EPDM), and Ozonated Water (up to 10 PPM, PVC/EPDM - an oxidizer, so confirm contact time and PPM for your process). EPDM is the default gasket across nearly every compatible reagent here. Two are comfortably inside the rating and easy picks: DEF and Urea Solution both run at a lower 1.35 required SG.

Some chemicals need a heavier tank than this one. Sodium Hypochlorite (below 16.5%) and Sulfuric Acid (98%) are the two a chem buyer most often shops, and neither is rated for this 1.5-SG tank - both require a 1.9-SG vessel, and both want Viton gaskets rather than the EPDM default (sulfuric at 98% specifically calls for CPVC fittings with Viton). The same 1.9-SG requirement applies to Hydrochloric Acid, Hydrogen Peroxide, Ferric Chloride, Phosphoric Acid, Ethylene Glycol, and Potassium Hydroxide. If your service is on that list, ask us for the higher-SG option rather than forcing this tank into a duty it cannot hold. Cross-check any reagent in our Chemical Compatibility Database.

Fittings and the mistake to avoid

This tank ships as an open-top cone with a 4" lid; plan any bottom outlet and top penetrations around your process. On gaskets, EPDM is the workhorse here - the exceptions are DEF and Peracetic Acid, which call for 316SS hardware. The single biggest layout error on a small cone-bottom is crowding the top plate or bracing the fill and outlet against each other - our top fitting placement guide walks through vent, fill, level, and drain layout. For how cone angle drives drainage, the cone-angle buyer's guide is worth reading before you commit to 20 degrees. The other mistake is skipping the resin confirmation - a 1.5-SG poly tank matched to the wrong chemical or SG is the failure mode we see most.

This tank ships LTL from the Chemtainer plant in Delano, MN, with freight quoted live to your ZIP - get a number in seconds from the Freight Cost Estimator, or call 866-418-1777 and we'll confirm resin, fittings, and the nearest ship point for your batch service.