Plastic Tank: Plastic Storage Tank

Plastic Tanks up to 16,000 gallons have replaced tanks of most other materials (especially fiberglass tanks) over the last decade. Plastic tanks are especially good for storing water and most chemicals including chlorine, bleaches and acids.

An advantage that Plastic Tanks have over storage tanks made from most other materials is much lighter weight. The weight saving means lower costs and greater ease of transport, handling and positioning. Tanks made from plastic are usually less likely to react to the liquid which is stored in them. The FDA has approved several polyethylene resins (including Exxon's high density linear linked HD-8660 which we use at Bailiff Enterprises) for holding drinking water and food products. Perhaps the most significant advantage that plastic storage tanks have is lower cost. In sizes up to about 16,000 gallons, tanks made from polyethylene are significantly less expensive to purchase and deliver than are tanks made from most other materials.

With the use of modern plastics, the lifespan of a properly used plastic storage tank can rival or exceed the life of most other tanks. Additionally, there are virtually no maintenance costs associated with tanks made of plastic.

There are many types of plastic that can be used to make storage tanks. Polyethylene is by far the most common. Tanks made from a high quality polyethylene resin will be strong, durable and reliable over a long time. There are some chemicals that do not store well in Polyethylene and for those substances, other plastics like polypropylene or kynar may be more suitable

When considering which plastic tank to use, you should know that they are rated based on the 'specific gravity' of the substance they are designed to hold. To put it simply, tanks with a higher specific gravity rating will have thicker walls and will be designed for heavier duty use when compared to another tank made from the same material but with a lower specific gravity. As an example, a polyethylene tank designed with a specific gravity of 1.9 will be a stronger tank than a similar tank with a specific gravity of 1.5 or 1.2. Because more resin is required to produce tanks with a higher specific gravity rating, the cost usually rises along with the specific gravity rating of a tank.

Plastic storage tanks are available in an extremely wide range of sizes and shapes. At Bailiff Enterprises, we produce nearly all of the popular shapes and our sizes range from 15 gallons to 11,500 gallons. Tanks come in open top, closed top and dual containment versions. Most plastic storage tanks are round but we also produce rectangular tanks.