The Snyder Industries 5500 Gallon Heavy Duty Vertical Storage Tank is built from cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) and rated to a 1.9 specific gravity. It stands 132 inches tall on a 120 x 120 inch footprint, holds 5,500 gallons, and is listed to ASTM, FDA-approved resin, and ANSI/NSF 61 standards for potable water service. If you are sizing a vertical storage tank for a fire-water reservoir, bulk process water, or any high-density application, this is an XLPE tank engineered to take it.
Will this tank handle your liquid?
The 1.9 specific gravity rating is the number that matters here, and it is the ceiling of the standard Snyder XLPE envelope, so you are already looking at the strongest spec rather than a water-only vessel. The tank carries liquids up to 1.9 times the weight of water without exceeding its design envelope. Filled with water it holds 45,870 pounds of contents; at its maximum rated specific gravity it is engineered to carry up to 87,153 pounds. That headroom is what makes it a true heavy-duty tank. The cross-linked polyethylene wall delivers more impact and stress-crack resistance than standard HDPE, which is why XLPE is specified where the duty is demanding and the contents are heavy. The ANSI/NSF 61 listing and FDA-approved resin are what make this tank legitimate for potable and drinking-water storage, including fire reserves that feed potable lines. See the technical drawing on this page for the fitting layout and exact port locations, and confirm that any bulkhead fittings and gaskets you add are compatible with the liquid you are storing before you finalize your plumbing.
How big a foundation and how much clearance do you need?
At 120 x 120 inches, this tank needs a full 10-foot-square pad, and at 87,153 pounds fully loaded at rated gravity, that pad has to be engineered for the point load, not poured by eye. The 132-inch height puts the tank at 11 feet tall, which drives your fill-line height, ladder or cage access, overhead clearance, and the reach of any freeze jacket, so plan the vertical envelope of your site as carefully as the footprint. Walk through the foundation math in our concrete pad sizing guide before you order so the pad is ready when the tank arrives. If you are still settling on capacity, the Tank Sizing Calculator and Tank Sizing Guide help you match volume to draw-down and footprint.
The mistake to avoid: XLPE is not HDPE
The single most common error on a tank like this is treating cross-linked polyethylene as interchangeable with standard high-density polyethylene. They are not the same material, and the difference changes how the tank behaves over time. Our guide on Snyder XLPE vs HDPE spells out exactly when crosslinking matters for chemistry duty. For high-density or fire-protection storage, also read the fire-water reservoir design guide for NFPA 22 sizing discipline and freeze protection in cold climates.
This tank ships LTL freight from the nearest Snyder plant to your delivery ZIP. Snyder builds it at Lincoln, NE and Philippi, WV, so Plains and Western sites route from Nebraska while Eastern sites pull from West Virginia for shorter transit. Because a 5,500-gallon tank is an oversized load, freight is quoted live to your ZIP rather than listed. Get your number on the Freight Cost Estimator, or call 866-418-1777 and we will work out the closest plant and the best routing for your site.
