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Ammonium Hydroxide (Aqueous Ammonia) Storage — Tank System Selection

Storing Aqueous Ammonia (Ammonium Hydroxide)? Start Here

Aqueous ammonia stores in a poly tank, but with this chemical the vent design matters as much as the tank. Ammonia fumes are pungent, irritating, and travel — so for anything concentrated or indoors you need a scrubbed vent, not just an open one.

Can you store it in a poly tank? Yes — mind the vent.

Aqueous ammonia is compatible with HDPE/XLPE chemical-service tanks, with EPDM gaskets (it's a base — EPDM, not Viton) and PVC fittings. The deciding factor is venting:

  • Outdoor/dilute: a well-placed atmospheric vent, aimed away from people and intakes.
  • Concentrated or indoors: a scrubbed vent is essentially mandatory — the fumes are too strong to release into an enclosed space.

The safety that actually matters

  • Vent placement and scrubbing — the #1 design decision for ammonia.
  • Keep it far from acids and bleach — ammonia + bleach makes toxic gas.
  • 110% containment, eyewash close by.

Common questions

Do I need a scrubber on the vent?
For concentrated ammonia or any enclosed install, yes. Outdoor dilute service can use a well-aimed atmospheric vent.
Viton or EPDM?
EPDM — ammonia is a base, and Viton doesn't hold up to strong bases. PVC fittings.
Can it go near my bleach tank?
No — ammonia and bleach together make toxic gas. Separate them.

Ammonium Hydroxide (Aqueous Ammonia) storage tanks from OneSource

For ammonium hydroxide (aqueous ammonia) storage, specify HDPE rated to specific gravity 1.9. Verified, compatibility-matched options:

Confirm chemical compatibility and a ZIP freight quote with our team at 866-418-1777.

Caustic or alkaline service: pick a polymer or FRP that lasts.

Strong bases stress-crack the wrong materials. These guides cover the material-of-construction call for caustic and alkaline storage.

Explore: FRP & Fiberglass Tanks  ·  Double Wall Tanks  ·  Chemical Compatibility

Sources & References

All compatibility ratings, hazard classifications, and chemical identifiers on this page are sourced from authoritative third-party publications. Verify against the original references before final specification.

  1. PubChem Compound Database — entry for Ammonium Hydroxide (CID 14923, CAS 1336-21-6). pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. National Library of Medicine / NCBI. Canonical chemical-identity reference.
  2. Snyder Industries Chemical Resistance Recommendations — system-of-construction guidance for polyethylene chemical-storage tanks at industrial ASTM 1.9 SG design rating. SNY-3041 Chemical Resistance Chart. Snyder Industries, current edition. Resin + fitting + gasket + bolt MOC matrix.
  3. Equistar Technical Tip — Chemical Resistance of Polyethylene — LDPE / MDPE / HDPE rating chart by concentration and temperature, distributed by Enduraplas. enduraplas.com (PDF). Equistar polyethylene resin chemical-resistance data, distributed via Enduraplas.
  4. NFPA 704: Standard System for the Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response. nfpa.org. NFPA 704 'fire diamond' health/flammability/instability/special-hazard rating system (0–4 scale).
  5. UN Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), current revision. unece.org/transport/ghs. GHS pictograms, signal words, and H-statement codes referenced in this guide.
  6. ASTM D1998 — Standard Specification for Polyethylene Upright Storage Tanks, current edition. astm.org. Cited as the design-specific-gravity standard (typically 1.9 SG) for industrial chemical-service polyethylene tanks.
  7. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards — occupational exposure limits, PPE, and IDLH data for Ammonium Hydroxide. cdc.gov/niosh/npg. CDC / NIOSH chemical-specific occupational-safety reference.

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