Chem-Tainer 5 Gallon Plastic Open Top Batch Storage Tank with Cover

The Chemtainer 5 Gallon Open Top Batch Storage Tank (SKU R161008A) is a compact rectangular vessel for small-batch mixing, sampling, and short-run holding where you need to reach into the tank from the top. It measures 16" long by 10" wide by 10" high on a 10" x 16" footprint, molded in natural white polyethylene, and ships with a 5" cover. At 8 lb empty it moves by hand, and the open top gives full access to a batch as it fills or blends.

Will it work for your batch

The differentiator here is the polyethylene rating: this tank is built to a specific gravity of 2.0, so it holds contents up to twice the density of water — denser brines and slurries, not just water. Full of water it weighs about 42 lb; loaded to its rated SG-2.0 density it tops out near 83 lb, so size the bench, shelf, or cart that carries it for the full 83 lb, not the empty weight. Maximum service temperature is 120°F / 48°C, so keep hot fills below that line. The flat rectangular open-top format keeps the working surface stable, which is what a 5-gallon mixing or dosing station needs. If you are choosing a capacity, run the numbers through our Tank Sizing Calculator or read the Tank Sizing Guide first.

What ships — and what does not

This is an open-top, pour-and-dip vessel. It ships with the 5" cover and nothing else: no bulkhead fittings, no outlet, no drain, no gaskets. It is a fill, mix, and scoop container, not a plumbed transfer or dosing tank, so if your process needs a bottom outlet or side fitting, this is not that tank — plan for a different plumbed model. See the technical drawing on this page for the exact dimensions and cover detail.

Certifications

The resin is FDA approved and NSF 61 certified, documented for the contact applications those standards cover. Match the certification to your own process requirements and confirm the material suits your specific contents.

Freight and ordering

This tank ships from the Delano, Minnesota plant, and freight moves LTL quoted live to your ZIP. One honest note on an 8 lb item this small: LTL freight on a single unit can run high relative to the tank itself, so small-quantity buyers should pull a ZIP quote in the Freight Cost Estimator or call 866-418-1777 before ordering — the freight economics favor multi-unit orders. Whether you are searching for a 5 gallon Chemtainer tank, an open-top batch container with a cover, or a compact rectangular storage vessel, this one handles the small-volume mixing and holding jobs where an open working top matters more than a sealed lid.