The Norwesco 3000 Gallon 30 Degree HDPE Cone Bottom Tank is built for full-drain chemical and process service where you cannot leave residual product sitting in the bottom of a flat-floor tank. The 30-degree cone discharges thick, settling, or precipitating fluids cleanly, and Norwesco rates this tank to a 1.9 specific gravity - heavy enough for dense acids and concentrated solutions, not just water. It stands 123 inches tall on a 96 x 96 inch footprint in blue high density linear polyethylene, holding 3,000 gallons. As a cone bottom tank it requires a support stand you supply, and that stand - not the tank shell - defines your real installed footprint and height above grade.
Will it work for your application?
Start with weight, because cone-bottom installs fail on undersized stands more than anything else. Filled with water this tank carries 25,020 lb; loaded to its maximum rated 1.9 SG contents it reaches 47,538 lb. Size your stand, anchor pattern, and slab for the heavier number that matches your actual fluid, not for water. At 1.9 SG this is the heaviest-rated cone option in this size - there is no higher-SG step-up to move to, so confirm your fluid's specific gravity stays at or under 1.9. The 96 x 96 inch footprint and 123-inch height set your building clearance and fill access. Outlet and side-fitting locations are not pre-specified on this tank in our data, so confirm bottom-outlet size and side-fitting placement with us before your stand fabricator starts. If you are weighing cone angles, the Norwesco Cone Bottom Tank Buyer's Guide covers the 15 vs 30 vs 45-degree trade-offs, and the Tank Sizing Calculator and Tank Sizing Guide confirm capacity and weight. The technical drawing on this page gives the dimensioned views for fabrication.
Chemical compatibility
This tank is molded in high density linear polyethylene (HDLPE) and rated to 1.9 specific gravity, which is what lets it hold dense chemistries that would overload a 1.5-rated tank. The compatibility below comes from the Norwesco chemical-resistance chart and is concentration- and temperature-specific - always confirm your exact operating concentration and temperature against the OEM chart before service. As a rule on this resin, neutral salts, glycols, and caustics run PVC with EPDM gaskets; oxidizers and strong acids (hydrochloric, hydrogen peroxide, phosphoric, sulfuric, sodium hypochlorite, hydrofluoric) need Viton; peracetic acid needs Aflas; and sulfuric at 98% needs CPVC, not PVC. Watch the metallic-fitting outliers a PVC-by-habit spec will miss: DEF, peracetic acid, propylene glycol, and zinc orthophosphate all call for 316 stainless. Compatible chemistries on this resin include:
- Acetic Acid (60%, PP/PVC fittings, EPDM gaskets)
- Aluminum Sulfate (50%, PVC, EPDM)
- Calcium Chloride (40%, PVC, EPDM)
- DEF (32.5%, 316SS fittings, EPDM)
- Ethylene Glycol (100%, PVC, EPDM)
- Ferric Chloride (50%, PVC, EPDM)
- Ferric Sulfate (60%, PVC, EPDM)
- Ferrous Sulfate (20%, PVC, EPDM)
- Hydrochloric Acid (37%, PVC, Viton)
- Hydrofluoric Acid (48%, PP/PVC, Viton)
- Hydrofluosilicic Acid (26%, PP/PVC, Viton)
- Hydrogen Peroxide (50%, PVC, Viton)
- Magnesium Chloride (30%, PVC, EPDM)
- Peracetic Acid (30%, 316SS, Aflas)
- Phosphoric Acid (85%, PVC, Viton)
- Polyaluminum Chloride (PVC, EPDM)
- Potassium Carbonate (50%, PVC, EPDM)
- Potassium Hydroxide (saturated, PVC, EPDM)
- Propylene Glycol (PP/316SS, EPDM)
- Sodium Bisulfate (PVC/PP, EPDM)
- Sodium Bisulfite (PVC/PP, EPDM)
- Sodium Carbonate (30%, PVC, EPDM)
- Sodium Hypochlorite (under 16.5%, PVC, Viton)
- Sodium Thiosulfate (40%, PVC, EPDM)
- Sulfuric Acid (98%, CPVC, Viton)
- Urea Solution (50%, PP/PVC, EPDM)
- Zinc Orthophosphate (PP/316SS, EPDM)
- Ozonated Water (up to 10 PPM, PVC, EPDM)
Match your fitting and gasket materials to your chemical - that combination is as important as the tank itself. The full Chemical Compatibility Database lets you cross-check every chemistry against resin, fitting, and gasket options.
The mistake to avoid
Do not assume "polyethylene" is one material. This tank is high density linear polyethylene (HDLPE), and for the most aggressive chemistries the difference between HDLPE and crosslinked (XLPE) matters - confirm HDLPE versus XLPE suitability for your specific chemical before you put it into service. The second trap is the specific gravity rating: 1.9 is the limit, and dense acids like 98% sulfuric or concentrated ferric chloride approach it. Verify your fluid's actual specific gravity stays within the 1.9 rating, and pair it with CPVC or Viton hardware where the chart calls for it. Get the resin, SG, and fitting/gasket combination right up front and this tank runs for years.
This 3000 gallon cone bottom tank ships by LTL freight from the Norwesco plant in St. Bonifacius, MN, quoted live to your ZIP - get your number with the Freight Cost Estimator or call 866-418-1777. Our team can confirm the right fittings, gasket materials, and support stand for your chemical before you order.
