Find the right tank shape
Most poly tanks come down to a handful of shapes, each built for a different job:
- Vertical flat bottom tanks sit directly on a level pad for steady, long-term storage of water, chemicals and more. See vertical water storage tanks and vertical chemical storage tanks.
- Cone bottom tanks slope to a center outlet so they drain completely, for mixing and batching. See cone bottom tanks.
- Horizontal leg and sump bottom tanks ride low and stable for transport and spraying, and a sump bottom drains completely. See horizontal leg tanks.
- Open top tanks, cylindrical or rectangular, give easy filling, hand mixing and access from above. See open top tanks.
- Double wall tanks surround the inner tank with a second wall that holds a leak. See double wall tanks.
- Underground tanks and cisterns store water out of sight. See underground water tanks.
- Septic and holding tanks for wastewater. See septic tanks.
Other shapes include slim doorway tanks, loaf and transport tanks that fit a pickup bed, and RV and marine tanks.
Plastic tank questions
What do PE and PP mean in a tank's name? The letters name the resin. PE tanks are molded from polyethylene, and PP tanks from polypropylene (PP). Some tanks come in both, such as the 30 gallon open top, flat bottom cylindrical tank, and Ronco makes a 110 gallon rectangular open top tank in polypropylene.
Which plastic tanks can hold drinking water? Pick a tank sold as potable. The Peabody ProChem Potable Water Tank with Bulkhead Fittings is one, in sizes such as 65 and 300 gallons, and the 300 gallon size comes in 34 and 35 inch diameters. For more water tanks, see vertical water storage tanks, and confirm the potable rating on any tank you choose for drinking water.
Which plastic tanks are made for chemicals? Tanks named for chemical use include the 200 and 350 gallon Chem-Tainer Plastic Vertical Double Wall Liquid Chemical Storage Tank and the 100 gallon Peabody ProChem Open Top Process Chemical Tank. More upright chemical tanks are grouped in vertical chemical storage tanks.
Do double wall tanks come in small sizes? Yes. The Peabody Gemini Dual Containment Square Tank comes in 40 and 70 gallon sizes, and the 120/160 Gallon Double Wall Tank is another option at the small end. The full range is in double wall tanks.
Which plastic tanks are built to be hauled? Transport tanks. Enduraplas makes a Sump Bottom Transport Tank in sizes such as 150, 1,000 and 1,900 gallons and a Freestanding Transport Tank in sizes such as 1,100 and 1,600 gallons. Compare them with horizontal leg tanks.
