The Chem-Tainer 500 Gallon Vertical Storage Tank (SKU TC4676IC-NAT) is a polyethylene vertical tank standing 76 inches tall on a 46 x 46 inch footprint, molded in Natural White. It carries a 1.5 specific gravity rating, which tells you exactly how dense a liquid this shell is built to hold. This page answers the three things that actually decide a 500 gallon tank purchase: whether it fits your job, what freight looks like, and the one sizing mistake worth avoiding before you order.
Does this 500 gallon vertical tank work for your site?
On a 46 x 46 inch footprint, this is a compact vertical storage tank for its capacity, which makes it a common pick for tight equipment rooms, well houses, and pump sheds where floor space is limited but you still need real volume. Filled with water, the tank holds roughly 4,170 pounds of contents. Because the shell is rated to a 1.5 specific gravity, it is engineered to carry a maximum contents weight of about 6,255 pounds, so it is not limited to plain water. In practical terms, the 1.5 rating means it can hold liquids up to about 12.5 pounds per gallon, giving you real headroom above water for denser fluids while staying within the tank's design limit. Both of those weights matter for the pad and the floor underneath, not just the tank itself.
Size and set it correctly the first time
The biggest mistake on a 500 gallon vertical tank is under-building the base. A full tank concentrates thousands of pounds onto that 46 x 46 inch footprint, so the surface below it has to be flat, level, and continuously supported across the entire bottom. Run your numbers through the Tank Sizing Calculator and read the Tank Sizing Guide before you commit to a location. For a poured base, our concrete pad sizing guide walks through the ACI 360R-10 framework for above-ground polyethylene tanks. Check the technical drawing on this page for outlet and fitting locations so your plumbing lines up before delivery.
Where it fits in a water system
This vertical tank suits non-potable water storage, rainwater capture, and process or reserve supply where a full-height footprint saves floor space. If you are building a rural or remote fire-water reserve, our fire-water reservoir design guide covers NFPA 22 sizing and freeze protection, and our water reuse topology guide shows how grey-water, rainwater, and condensate feeds combine into banded storage. Deciding between brands at larger sizes? Our Snyder vs Norwesco vs Chem-Tainer comparison lays out the differences.
This tank ships by LTL freight, quoted live to your ZIP from the nearest Chem-Tainer plant among Bensenville, IL; Hanford, CA; Hummelstown, PA; and Marked Tree, AR. Get your exact number with the Freight Cost Estimator, or call us at 866-418-1777 and we will route it from the closest plant to keep transit and cost down.
