The Chem-Tainer 55 Gallon Plastic Portable Utility Tank is a flat-bottom polyethylene tank built for moving and holding water and water-based fluids where you need a low, stable footprint instead of height. At 18 inches tall with a 26 by 42 inch base, it slides under low clearances and sets up on a truck bed, trailer, skid, or pad. The 42-inch dimension is the long axis, so it rides lengthwise on a standard pickup bed or between trailer wheel wells, which answers the first question most buyers have: will it fit. If you have searched for a 55 gallon utility tank from Chem-Tainer, this is the standard portable utility format in that capacity.
Will it hold what you need it to?
This tank carries a 55 gallon rated capacity. Filled with plain water it weighs about 459 pounds, and the polyethylene shell is rated to a specific gravity of 1.5, which puts the maximum rated contents weight at roughly 688 pounds. That 1.5 SG rating is the number that matters most: it tells you the wall is built to carry fluids heavier than water, so as long as your fluid sits at or below 1.5 SG you are inside the design envelope. If your duty is plain water only, that 1.5 rating means you are not giving up any structural margin. For anything denser than 1.5 SG, do not assume this unit covers it; run the numbers with the Tank Sizing Calculator and Tank Sizing Guide, then call 866-418-1777 to confirm before you order rather than reading the rating as a blanket allowance.
Mounting and footprint
Because this is a flat-bottom utility tank, the full 26 by 42 inch base bears the load, so the surface underneath needs to be flat, continuous, and able to carry the loaded weight without flexing. A trailer deck, a stout skid, or a poured pad all work; what you want to avoid is point-loading the base across gaps or rails. If you are setting it on a permanent above-ground pad, our guide on concrete pad sizing for above-ground polyethylene tanks walks through the framework for sizing it. For farm-fleet and portable utility transport, the overview of portable utility tanks and DOT classification covers the road side.
The mistake to avoid
The most common error with a utility tank like this is reading the 1.5 specific-gravity rating as a green light for any fluid. It is not. The SG rating only confirms the tank can structurally carry weight up to 1.5 times water; it does not confirm chemical compatibility, and this listing carries no potable, NSF, or food-grade designation. For plain water, water transfer, and general utility duty it does exactly what it is built to do. This listing does not specify factory fittings, so check the technical drawing on this page to see whether outlets and bulkhead ports come pre-installed or open, and when you add fittings, spec the NPT thread size and gasket material to your fluid rather than assuming a default.
This tank ships LTL freight from the nearest Chem-Tainer plant to you, either Marked Tree, AR or Merced, CA, with freight quoted live to your ZIP. The Freight Cost Estimator auto-selects the nearer shipping point, so an Arkansas buyer and a California buyer each see the lower number for their location. Get your exact figure there, or call 866-418-1777 to confirm the closest plant and lock in your quote. Review the technical drawing on this page for fitting locations and full dimensions before you order.
