Advantage mild steel pump tank stations use the same sizing range as the polyethylene line - up to 3,000 gallons of reservoir volume and up to 2,700 GPM of flow - but in a steel tank rather than poly. Steel is the right call when the fluid or process runs hotter than poly tolerates well, when a code or structural requirement calls for a steel vessel, or when a heavier-duty tank is simply preferred for the installation.
Mild steel stations are common where the plant already standardizes on steel tankage for other process equipment, or where the reservoir will see mechanical loading or mounting requirements that favor a rigid steel structure over a poly tank.
Send us your required reservoir volume and flow rate, along with the fluid and expected operating temperature, and we'll match a station and confirm steel construction is the right fit before quoting.
Steel earns its higher cost and weight over polyethylene in three situations: the operating temperature exceeds poly's practical ceiling, a building or plumbing code specifies a steel vessel, or the installation puts real structural load on the tank itself - a mezzanine mount or an application with mechanical loading a poly tank isn't rated for. Outside those, an Advantage polyethylene station is usually the lighter, more corrosion-resistant, lower-cost choice.
Steel tanks do need an internal or external coating matched to the fluid where corrosion is a concern - tell us the fluid chemistry along with your volume and flow so we can confirm coating requirements before quoting, not after.
| Factor | Polyethylene | Mild Steel |
|---|---|---|
| Corrosion resistance | High - inert to most glycol/water chemistries | Lower - coating typically needed for aggressive fluids |
| Weight | Lighter | Heavier |
| Temperature tolerance | Lower practical ceiling | Higher |
| Structural rating | Standard | Higher - meets stricter structural or code requirements |
| Reservoir volume / flow range | Up to 3,000 gal / 2,700 GPM | Up to 3,000 gal / 2,700 GPM |
Both tank materials share the same sizing range - the decision is chemistry, temperature and structure, not capacity. Call and talk it through with an engineer: 1-805-484-2992.