Chem-Tainer 55 Gallon HDPE Vertical Liquid Storage Tank

The Chem-Tainer 55 gallon HDPE vertical liquid storage tank (SKU TC2038IA) is a compact, natural-white polyethylene tank built for liquid storage where floor space is tight. It stands 38 inches tall on a 20-by-20-inch footprint, so it fits beside equipment, in a pump house corner, or against a wall without claiming the room a larger vertical would. What sets this SKU apart is the 1.9 specific gravity rating, a step up from a standard 1.5 SG water tank for buyers who need to store heavier-than-water liquids.

Will it work for your job?

This is a 55 gallon vertical storage tank molded in polyethylene, rated to a 1.9 specific gravity. That SG headroom is the number that matters when you size it: full of plain water (SG 1.0) the contents weigh about 459 lb, and the tank is engineered to carry contents up to roughly 872 lb at its rated 1.9 SG. In practical terms, you have wide margin for water and most water-density liquids, plus real capacity left over for heavier fluids that would overload a lighter-rated 55-gallon tank. If you are unsure whether your liquid fits inside that weight envelope, run the numbers through our Tank Sizing Calculator or walk through the Tank Sizing Guide before you buy. Keep one thing clear: the 1.9 SG number is a weight rating, not a chemical-compatibility rating. Natural-white HDPE handles many liquids but not all, and the gasket or fitting elastomer is usually the limiting part, so confirm compatibility for your specific fluid before service.

Mounting, pad, and fittings

At a 20.0 x 20.0 inch footprint and a 38-inch height, this HDPE tank is small enough to set on a skid or a modest concrete pad, but loaded weight still needs a flat, fully supported base so the bottom is not bridging a gap. For above-ground installs where you want the pad done right the first time, our guide on concrete pad sizing for above-ground polyethylene tanks covers the ACI 360R-10 framework and where the ACI 318 boundary applies. Lid and outlet thread sizes are confirmed by phone before order, so call 866-418-1777 with your plumbing details and we will verify the fitting layout against what you are connecting before anything ships.

One mistake to avoid

Polyethylene tanks fail from the top down, not the bottom up. The vapor-saturated headspace above the liquid line is where premature wall failures originate, and a liquid-side inspection misses them entirely. Before you put this tank into long-term service, read why HDPE wall thickness at the headspace is where failures begin and the ASTM D1998 sizing logic behind it. Treat the 1.9 SG rating as a ceiling, not a target, and you keep that wall working for the long haul.

This tank ships LTL freight, shipped from the Chem-Tainer plant nearest your ZIP (Hanford, CA or Lake Wales, FL), with freight quoted live to your destination. Get your number in seconds with the Freight Cost Estimator, or call 866-418-1777 and we will quote it for you and answer any sizing question before you commit.