The Norwesco 500 Gallon 30 Degree Cone Bottom Tank in White is a closed-top, full-drain polyethylene vessel rated to a 1.5 specific gravity, built for batching, mixing, and dispensing process chemicals where the contents must flow out completely. It stands 85 inches tall on a 48 x 48 inch footprint and holds 500 gallons, with a steep 30-degree cone that clears solids and slurries that a flat-bottom drum would trap. It is a common pick for water treatment, fertilizer blending, and DEF operations. If you are still weighing cone angles, the Norwesco cone bottom tank buyer's guide walks through 15 vs 30 vs 45 degree selection, and the complete 500 gallon 30 degree cone bottom tank guide covers this exact size.
Will it carry your load, and how does it stand up?
Filled with plain water this cone tank weighs about 4,170 lbs, but at the 1.5 SG rating it is engineered to hold contents up to roughly 6,255 lbs. That gap is exactly where buyers under-spec the support. A cone-bottom tank cannot sit flat on the ground; it needs a matching stand, and that stand must be rated for the full 6,255-lb contents weight, not the 4,170-lb water figure. With an 85-inch fill column at 1.5 SG, head pressure at the cone apex is real, so size and anchor the stand before delivery. Run your fill scenario through the Tank Sizing Calculator and the Tank Sizing Guide to confirm volume and weight match your process. The 1.5 SG figure is a confirmed rating; what is not fully confirmed in our source data is the resin grade, so treat those as two separate things.
Chemical compatibility: find your chemical first
This is a polyethylene tank rated to 1.5 specific gravity. Because the resin grade is not fully confirmed in our data, confirm the resin specification with us (HDLPE versus XLPE) before committing the tank to chemical service. Start by finding your chemical below. If it appears in the higher-SG list further down, this 1.5 SG tank is the wrong tank and you should order the 1.9 SG version instead. At 1.5 SG, these chemicals are within rating at the listed concentrations, paired with the noted fitting and gasket materials. Always verify against the OEM chemical-resistance chart for your exact concentration and operating temperature:
- Acetic Acid at 60% — PP/PVC fittings, EPDM gaskets
- Aluminum Sulfate at 50% — PVC fittings, EPDM gaskets
- Calcium Chloride at 40% — PVC fittings, EPDM gaskets
- DEF (diesel exhaust fluid) at 32.5% — 316 stainless fittings, EPDM gaskets
- Ferrous Sulfate at 20% — PVC fittings, EPDM gaskets
- Magnesium Chloride at 30% — PVC fittings, EPDM gaskets
- Sodium Carbonate at 30% — PVC fittings, EPDM gaskets
- Urea Solution at 50% — PP/PVC fittings, EPDM gaskets
- Ozonated Water up to 10 PPM — PVC fittings, EPDM gaskets
The fitting material matters as much as the tank. DEF is the clearest example: it calls for 316 stainless fittings with EPDM gaskets, not 316's cheaper cousin 304 and not plain PVC, because the wrong wetted metal contaminates the fluid. The full chart for every chemical lives in the Chemical Compatibility Database.
Chemicals that need a 1.9 SG tank instead
Nineteen common process chemicals exceed what a 1.5 SG tank should hold and require a 1.9 specific gravity tank. If your service involves any of these, do not order this tank, order the 1.9 SG version. Note the elastomer split, because the wrong gasket fails even when the tank is right:
- EPDM gaskets work: Ethylene Glycol, Ferric Chloride, Ferric Sulfate, Polyaluminum Chloride, Potassium Carbonate, Potassium Hydroxide, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Bisulfate, Sodium Bisulfite, Sodium Thiosulfate, Zinc Orthophosphate.
- Viton gaskets required: Hydrochloric Acid, Hydrofluoric Acid, Hydrofluosilicic Acid, Hydrogen Peroxide, Phosphoric Acid, Sodium Hypochlorite, Sulfuric Acid (CPVC fittings).
- Aflas/316SS required: Peracetic Acid (316SS fittings, Aflas gaskets).
The single most expensive mistake on a cone-bottom chem tank is matching your chemical's specific gravity to the wrong tank rating, or running EPDM where Viton is required.
Fittings, freight, and ordering
Fitting locations and exact dimensions are shown on the technical drawing on this page. Confirm outlet size, bulkhead fittings, and gasket material with us before ordering, and make sure the fitting material matches your chemistry per the chart above; we will not guess the wetted parts for you. This tank ships LTL from the Norwesco plant in Sheldon, IA, with freight quoted live to your ZIP, so get a number in seconds with the Freight Cost Estimator. Questions on cone stands, fitting layout, or matching this tank to your chemistry? Call 866-418-1777 and we will spec it with you.
