DISTRIBUTOR FAQs

Our Industrial (ASTM) Tank Price List is for engineered tanks. These tanks are thicker walled tanks based on wall thickness design calculations outlined in ASTM D1998 to determine the specific gravity rating. Multiple fittings at many locations can be added to tanks listed in the Industrial (ASTM) Tank Price List.

The "Industrial" tank system is a tank system that can be designed specifically for the chemical application. Factors that are taken under consideration are the chemical, its' concentration and temperature. Based upon these factors we can determine the best resin for the application, the wall thickness and the specific cure parameters for the resin. ASTM D 1998 dictates the design, manufacturing and testing of the tank. Snyder's Industrial tanks have more stringent quality assurance requirements than commodity tanks. CAD drawings will also be supplied for the Industrial tanks when accessories are required and they meet the minimum order requirements.

Our Commercial Tanks Price List is for tanks in less severe chemical applications. These tanks are not designed to ASTM D1998 so they are thinner walled based on lower hoop stress calculation to determine the specific gravity rating. These tanks come with either no fittings (other than a manway) or a predetermined fitting package outlined in the price list.

To determine which tanks you should quote (Industrial or Commercial) will depend on the application. Our published Chemical Resistance Recommendations chart outlines the design information (specific gravity and hoop stress) for several chemical applications. Another determining factor is fittings required on the tank. If the fittings required are other than the predetermined fitting package offered, then the Industrial (ASTM) Tank line should be used.

Since there is no one type of resin that is best suited for every application, Snyder offers tanks manufactured using both cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) and linear polyethylene (HDLPE) resins. While XLPE tanks are preferred in some applications, such as surfactants, field experience and laboratory testing demonstrate that in many applications HDLPE tanks are equivalent or superior to XLPE tanks. Please refer to the Snyder Chemical Resistance Recommendation chart to determine which resin is best suited for your application or call Snyder Industries.

The resin is the most important part of the tank design. The choice of resin is no different then making sure that you have the correct gasket material. Snyder has rotationally molded cross-linked polyethylene since 1973 and a "true" high density linear resin since 1984. Over the years there have been several changes in resin technology and molding technique. Snyder has always been in the forefront of these developments. In 1994 Snyder implemented a program that to this date has not been duplicated. Experience and history have shown Snyder that resins that had once worked with certain chemical applications were no longer working. To help evaluate the resin changes Snyder sponsored an independent chemical test program. The results of this on going testing have changed several resin recommendations and tank designs.

After the testing it became obvious that all applications need to be reviewed based upon the chemical, its' concentration and temperature. You will find tank manufacturers in this industry that make recommendations that contradict those of the resin suppliers. Snyder offers both cross-linked (XLPE) and high density linear (HDLPE) tanks. When we recommend a chemical application it will be based upon the best data that is available. We do not have the restrictions that some manufacturers have since they typically only concentrate on one resin.

NOTE: When XLPE or HDLPE resin is specified it is important to use the highest density resin that is available. Don't make the "HDPE" mistake that is being made in this industry. Not all polyethylene's are HDPE. Always specify the density of the resin.

The resins used to manufacture our linear polyethylene tanks meet specifications contained in FDA Regulations 21 CFR 177.1520, (c) 3.2 and so may be used as an article or component of articles intended for use in contact with food, subject to any limitations in the regulation. Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) tanks do not meet FDA regulations.

The HDLPE resin that Snyder uses is also NSF 61 listed which is for water applications by Snyder and NSF 51 listed by the resin manufacturer. NSF 51 is for food applications.

Linear polyethylene (HDLPE) storage tanks have a maximum storage temperature of 130° F. Cross-Linked polyethylene (XLPE) storage tanks have a maximum storage temperature of 140° F.

These temperatures are correct but there is the dreaded "however". The resins will handle these temperatures "however" standard polyethylene "Industrial" tanks are designed, by the leading manufacturers, based upon 100° F. ASTM D 1998 specifies a tank design based upon 73° F. Polyethylene above 100 degrees F becomes more pliable as the temperature goes up. Above 100 degrees F the specific gravity design is "derated". Applications that exceed 100° F will need to be designed specifically for the chemical, its' specific gravity and temperature.

NOTE: The room or outdoor temperature is not a factor for ambient conditions unless the ambient temperature remains above 100 degrees day and night for several days.

A Snyder tank with a specific gravity of 1.5 can hold a liquid up to 12.5 pounds per gallon at 100° F. A Snyder tank with a specific gravity of 1.9 can hold a liquid up to 15.75 pounds per gallon at 100° F. Please note that an increase in liquid temperature will substantially decrease the specific gravity rating. Also, certain chemicals have environmental stress cracking agents in them so higher specific gravity tanks are needed to compensate even though the weight of the chemical may be lower. Please refer to the Snyder Chemical Resistance Recommendation Chart or call Snyder Industries to determine which tank design is best suited for the chemical application.

NOTE: As outlined in question one, even though a specific gravity is called out on a tank design, it may not give the same performance as one with a lower hoop stress number. The higher the hoop stress number the more flexible the tank will be. As the hoop stress number goes up you may experience excessive tank expansion and the potential for "elephant footing" (low side wall expansion).

Because Snyder tanks have a stratoform wall thickness (varies from top to bottom on a tank), wall thickness is not the best gauge for determining the quality of a tank. The actual weight of the tank is also not a good comparison when shopping for tanks. Just because a competitor may use more material in the tank does not make it a better tank. This is determined by the resin, mold design and the steps taken during the rotomolding process.

Snyder's Industrial tanks are designed according to ASTM D 1998. ASTM D 1998 dictates the wall thickness parameters. With the stratiformed wall design Snyder meets ASTM requirements. Snyder is able to put the resin were it is required for the tanks higher stress locations. Snyder's resin technology, equipment and years of experience result in tanks designs that can seldom be duplicated by other manufacturers. Comparison testing and evaluations have shown that Snyder's tanks are normally thicker than most of the leading manufacturers in the lower third of the (which is the most stressed part of the tank). No matter what the tank weight the processing of the resin or how it is cured is critical. Other manufactures that use low and medium density resins will need to have a heavier tank to compensate for these resins.

Refer to the Snyder Chemical Resistance Recommendation Chart or contact the chemical supplier to see if their product is compatible with high density linear polyethylene (HDLPE) or cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE). If they cannot answer your question, call Snyder Industries and we will be happy to research it for you. Try to have as much information available as possible such as the chemical name, temperature, and the percent concentration (Ex: Sodium Hypochlorite, 15%, Ambient).

Keep in mind that if you look long enough you will find a compatibility chart to tell you anything that you want. However, it is important to work with current data and to make sure that tank manufacturer knows how to utilize this data. Even though a compatibility chart says that polyethylene is recommended it may not be the resin that the manufacturer is using. Even to this day, we at Snyder continue to receive specifications for resins that have not been available for years and resin recommendations that contradict those of the resin manufacturer.

We do not recommend storing petroleum products in our tanks because it will permeate the tank walls. Compatibility of polyethylene is based upon permeation and the rate of the permeation. If a chemical permeates polyethylene we need to consider the affects of the permeation. In some instances the chemical may have no affect, it other cases it may soften or embrittle the polyethylene. Polyethylene has the best chemical resistance that you will find in an economical tank, however there will be applications that should be avoided. You will want to avoid aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons.

No, our tanks cannot be pressurized. They are all designed to atmospheric pressure.

Tanks specifically designed for above ground use cannot be put underground because the weight of the ground around the tank can cause the wall to collapse. If you have an application for a below ground tank we do have a cistern and septic tank line that is available that is designed for below ground use.

Snyder warrants to the purchaser for any manufactured tank product proven to be defective in material or workmanship within 3 years from date of original invoice from factory. An extended tank warranty is available as a purchased option for an additional 5-year period (total of 8 years) on Snyder Vertical Storage Tanks and Cone Bottom Tanks on some applications. Snyder also offers chemical specific warranties on certain chemicals including sulfuric acid, sodium hypochlorite and others. Contact Snyder on questions regarding warranty for your specific application.

If comparing warranties of manufacturers you will likely find warranties beyond three years to be either pro-rated or purchased warranties. You will also find most to cover only defects in materials and workmanship and do not relate to the chemical application. Snyder began an extensive chemical-testing program in 1994. Chemical applications that have been through our program not only have a defects in materials and workmanship warranty but they also have a "chemical specific" warranty. Basically if the tank fails due to the chemical application it will be a warranty issue.

IBC stands for International Building Code. CBC stands for California Building Code.

Yes, but with amendments. The California Building Standards Council (CBSC) went through extensive review of the IBC and the California legislature adopted it by law as the new CBC in 2007, making it effective January 1, 2008. The current version is IBC 2021 / CBC 2022 and that is the code you must now follow depending on when the local jurisdiction you are working in adopts it and when the structure was submitted for plan check.

California updates IBC / CBC on a Triennial Code Adoption Cycle meaning that code is reviewed and updated every 3 years.

All 50 states have adopted the International Building Code (IBC) or a version of it. This includes the IBC seismic provisions, which govern structural design to prevent damage during earthquakes. While the IBC is a model code, states and local jurisdictions may adopt it with variations or modifications. States do not use the 1997 Uniform Building Code (UBC) anymore. The UBC has been replaced by the IBC (International Building Code).

The California / International Building Codes require all stationary equipment to be anchored to its supporting structure (CBC 2022, Section 1613 & IBC 2021, Section 1613). In addition, much of this equipment must have calculations to validate its method of anchorage (ASCE 7-05, Section 13). For floor mounted equipment the requirement is for equipment that weighs 400 pounds or more or is over 60 inches in height.

With IBC 2021 / CBC 2022 the seismic design coefficients are site specific so each zip code may have different requirements. Our standard calculations are based on the design coefficients of a specific zip code in California (see seismic design coefficients in question 1). To determine if our standard calculations will be accepted we recommend you present a copy of our standard seismic design calculations to the contractor and/or engineering firm and have them review the calculations for acceptance. If the calculations are not acceptable then you will need to have the contractor and/or engineering firm provide information on the design coefficients required for the project so they can be reviewed by Snyder.

Original Wet Stamp calculations are listed in Snyder's price book as a purchased option for vertical tanks, double wall Captor tanks and cone bottom tanks. The wet stamps are broken down into three categories - Standard Calculation, Site Specific (VST/Captor), and Site Specific (CBT). The standard calculation is the calculation we already have done for a specific site that may work for your projects site. If, however, you require a "site specific" calculation which requires changes to the standard calculation then you would use the Site Specific calculation pricing and be required to complete a site specific seismic calc request form (below). These site specific calculations will be provided in the same format as the standard calculation only they will be adjusted for the specific site design coefficients. If a "non-standard" format calculation is required please contact Snyder as these will need to be quoted on a case-by-case basis as priced by the Engineer contracted to provide the calculations. A copy of our standard calculation can be provided (PDF format) at no charge by contacting your Snyder Regional Sales Manager or Customer Service.

Site Specific Seismic Calc Request Form

The old Uniform Building Code (UBC) 1997 used maps with numbered zones, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4. These maps are practically obsolete (1969 was the last year such a map was put out). The current IBC 2021 code uses Seismic Design Category (SDC). SDC is a classification assigned to a structure based on its occupancy or use (referred to as Occupancy Category) and on the level of expected soil modified seismic ground motion. This can be expressed schematically as follows:

[Occupancy Category] + [Soil modified seismic ground motion] ? SDC

Seismic Design What does it mean? Category(SDC)

A Very small seismic vulnerability

B Low to moderate seismic vulnerability

C Moderate seismic vulnerability

D High seismic vulnerability

E and F Very high seismic vulnerability and near a major fault

To determine the seismic design category you need to determine the Ss and S1 using maps or calculation tool. If you are working on a specified project then have the contractor or engineering firm responsible for the specification provide you with these figures.

Ss = the maximum considered earthquake spectral response acceleration at short periods (0.2 seconds)

S1 = the maximum considered earthquake spectral response acceleration at 1 second period.

The diameter of the pad required is outlined in the standard VST and/or Captor calculations. Please review the calculations and find the pad drawing that applies to the tank you are using or quoting for your project. The pad design is based on the default value allowed by code. It may be possible to use a smaller pad size if soil conditions are known. This would have to be done by the engineer on site.

The thickness of the pad will need to be determined by a local design engineer based on the soil conditions; however the pad should be thick enough for the anchor embedment outlined in the standard calculations.

Please note that if you need a site specific seismic calculation or a non-standard calculation, then the pad size may differ substantially from what is shown in the standard calculation.

The calculation is valid as long as the date on the calculation is prior to the expired stamp. The expiration date as related to the date of the permitted drawings, applies to the Engineer of Record's stamp.

When Re-Stamping/Re-Signing is Not Required: When a set of documents is properly stamped and signed by an architect or engineer whose license or registration was current at the time of signing, it is considered valid. Re-stamping and re-signing of valid documents is not required except in cases of probable causes.

Some of the probable causes for re-stamping and re-signing are, but are not limited to the following:

The architect or engineer of record exercises his/her right to assume responsibility for another engineer who has left the project, deceased or whose license or registration has been revoked, cancelled or retired before his/her design or construction was completed.

The stamps and signatures were improperly or fraudulently placed on the documents.

The documents have become expired or void.

Anchor Rods/bolts and/or epoxy adhesive are not included with the seismic restraint system provided by Snyder Industries. These must be purchased separately. The structural engineer that did our standard calculations has reviewed the anchor requirements carefully and maintains the Hilti HAS-E Rod Standard or equal with Hilti HIT-RE500 V3 epoxy adhesive anchor system is acceptable for the parameters of our seismic calculation set submitted. This is listed on the first page of the calculations.

If calculations are required to utilize a specific anchor rod/bolt other than Hilti HAS-E style or epoxy adhesive other than HIT-RE500 V3 then site specific calculations would be required (additional cost for calculations).

The seismic restraint system for VSTs and Captors offered by Snyder meets System meets IBC 2021 / CBC 2022 code with seismic loads ≤ .445g SDC (Seismic Design Category) "D" - Fa=1.0, Fv=1.5, Ss=1.4, S1=0.5). When wet stamps are ordered the seismic restraint system for Cone Bottom tanks offered by Snyder meets IBC 2021 / CBC 2022 code with seismic loads ≤ .33g SDC "D" - Fa=1.0, Fv-1.5, SDS=1.105, SD1=0.597. If the requirement is greater than these design coefficients then you will need to contact Snyder to see if a system can be provided to meet the requirements for the site. This may change the price of the standard seismic system offered in Snyder's Industrial Tank Price List.

The anchor plate would be located next to the insulation on the tank with the front face of the anchor weldment located next to the insulation. Do not remove any insulation to install the anchor plates. See section 8.2 to 8.4 in Snyder's Guidelines for use and Installation for complete instructions.

Snyder's Guidelines for use and Installation