A good tank has a smooth inside with no sharp corners, effective agitation and a deep sump, so that little residue is left.
In HARDI's front-tank arrangement, a nurse configuration transfers water into the main tank. An agitation-pump kit and electric-valve kit enable the separate chemical-tank configuration.
The tank holds the selected mixture, while the label supplies the product-specific application information.
For a treatment in Great Britain, Article 55(2) includes compliance with the authorised conditions specified on the labelling within proper use.
Sprayer tank materials: plastic, poly and metal spray tanks
A plastic (polyethylene, poly) sprayer tank and a metal sprayer tank both need to be easy to clean, with no sharp corners and a smooth inside; sharp corners are the harder-to-clean problem on metal tanks.
Understand agitation as part of the circuit
Agitation keeps the mixture moving through the working circuit. HARDI NAVIGATOR has AutoAgitation, which keeps agitation even with minimal tank residues, and reduces agitation automatically during AutoFill.
For an auxiliary tank, establish which tank receives the return flow. In HARDI's separate front chemical-tank arrangement, the main system's return and agitation remain active.
Examine filling access and level control
Watch the tank level throughout filling; stay with the machine and prevent overflow.
Prevent spray mixture from flowing or siphoning back into the water supply.
A drain valve operated from the top of the tank or from the ground, with a hose connection, keeps the operator away from the residues.
Spray tanker, ATV sprayer tank and quad bike spray tank
A spray tanker or farm sprayer tank is the liquid container of a mounted, trailed or self-propelled sprayer, or a separate tank carried to supply water; the machine types are compared in the sprayer selection guide. The tanks sold for an ATV, UTV, quad bike or four wheeler (saddle tank, spot sprayer tank, tank with boom, boomless nozzle, 12 volt pump unit) are small versions of the same tank: they are judged by the same points as above, a smooth inside without sharp corners, agitation, a deep sump, and a filling opening that lets you fill without overflow. A square, low profile, steel, stainless or poly tank, a replacement tank, a tank lid, a hose reel for a sprayer tank and a pressurised or compressed air tank are choices within that comparison. The same applies to an IBC tote sprayer, a diesel or petrol driven power sprayer tank and a fertiliser or chemical mixing tank: before the tank is bought, ask what the pump, hose and seals are made of, and match them to the product that will be in the tank.
Branded and use-specific tanks, such as Agri-Fab, Gilmour, Lesco, HDX, Silvan, Wylie, Croplands, Orient or Protank sprayer tanks, a spray tank for a ride-on mower, spray tanks for tractors, a bug spray tank, a fertiliser spray tank, an agitating sprayer and an agricultural chemical mixing tank, are all compared by the same points as above. Before you pick a tank, read the product label for any mixing requirement.
Keep your spray records in one place. Free to start.
Spray tank sizes in gallons and litres: 3 to 600 gallon
Tanks are sold in gallons and litres, for example a 3 gallon, 15 gallon, 25 gallon, 40 gallon, 100 gallon, 200 gallon, 300 gallon or 500 gallon sprayer tank, and in litres as a 16 ltr sprayer, 20 ltr sprayer, 100 ltr spray tank or 200 ltr spray tank. A US gallon is 3.785 litres and an imperial gallon is 4.546 litres, so a tank advertised in gallons holds a different volume depending on the market it is sold in.
| Tank size | Litres, US gallon | Litres, imperial gallon |
|---|---|---|
| 3 gallon | 11 litres | 14 litres |
| 5 gallon | 19 litres | 23 litres |
| 8 gallon | 30 litres | 36 litres |
| 10 gallon | 38 litres | 45 litres |
| 15 gallon | 57 litres | 68 litres |
| 25 gallon | 95 litres | 114 litres |
| 40 gallon | 151 litres | 182 litres |
| 50 gallon | 189 litres | 227 litres |
| 100 gallon | 379 litres | 455 litres |
| 200 gallon | 757 litres | 909 litres |
| 300 gallon | 1,136 litres | 1,364 litres |
| 500 gallon | 1,893 litres | 2,273 litres |
| 600 gallon | 2,271 litres | 2,728 litres |
Divide litres by 3.785 for US gallons and by 4.546 for imperial gallons. The volume that matters for a treatment is the usable volume: a tank filled to the brim risks overflow, so keep to the level you can watch during filling.
Spray tank sizes in litres, and the area one fill treats
In litres the same machines are sold as a 50l, 60l, 100l, 200l, 300l, 400l, 500l, 600l or 1000l spray tank, and as a spray unit, weed sprayer or ATV sprayer of 100 or 200 litres (also written 100lt or 200lt). A 12l sprayer, a 16l sprayer and a 20l sprayer are the carried sizes, compared in the backpack guide. A 12v spray tank or 12v spray unit has an electric pump on a 12 volt supply; the voltage names the supply and says nothing about the capacity. What the size means in the field is the area one fill treats, which is the tank volume divided by the water volume on the label in litres per hectare.
For a label volume of 200 litres per hectare, one full tank treats:
| Tank size | Area per fill at 200 l/ha |
|---|---|
| 50 litres | 0.25 ha |
| 60 litres | 0.3 ha |
| 100 litres | 0.5 ha |
| 200 litres | 1 ha |
| 300 litres | 1.5 ha |
| 400 litres | 2 ha |
| 500 litres | 2.5 ha |
| 600 litres | 3 ha |
| 1000 litres | 5 ha |
Halve the area if the label volume is 400 litres per hectare, and double it at 100 litres per hectare. Work with the usable volume and keep to a level you can watch during filling, as above. Mix only what the area needs, so that little is left over. The tank-mix calculator does this sum for the product dose as well.
Next step
See the tank-mix calculator, sprayer selection for a complete machine, the tank-mix guide, the backpack guide and washings disposal.