Blog2025-04-02T14:28:16-05:00

CropLife Article Highlights Heartland Tank Companies’ Heated, Insulated Aboveground Storage Tanks

The July 2015 CropLife Retail Facilities Report features an article on the new product of heated, insulated aboveground storage tanks offered by the Heartland Tank Companies. The article explains how these storage tanks, new to the liquid fertilizer industry, combat the negative effects of cold temperatures on some liquid fertilizers.     The Cold, Salty Problem Wholesalers and retailers experience issues with storing certain liquid fertilizers and starter fluids during the winter due to cold temperature effects. When an aboveground storage tank of 32% liquid nitrogen has an average internal temperature below thirty degrees, the product begins

Ohio Governor Signs Law Intended to Reduce Harmful Runoff From Liquid Fertilizer Tanks

Last April, Ohio Governor John Kasich signed a law designed to reduce the algal blooms that severely disrupted the drinking water supply in Lake Erie last year. The Blade reports that Kasich signed the bill on the Lake Erie shore, a symbolic gesture which indicated the water crisis Ohio citizens faced last August, especially in Toledo. Toledo was hit the worst when dangerous levels of microcystis, a toxic cyanobacteria that produces algal blooms, were detected in nearby Lake Erie. More than 500,000 residents could not drink water from the city water supply, forcing them to rely on bottled water and

Above Ground Storage Tanks: Industries’ Backbone

Steel storage tanks are the cornerstone of many industries in the United States. The manufacturing, agriculture, sanitation, and oil industries are just a small example of \industries that rely on above ground storage tanks. Above ground storage tanks (ASTs) have a wide range of sizes and shapes. Some are horizontal, bullet shaped tanks where others are round vertical tanks. Sizes range from 50 to 10 million gallons. Tanks that range up to 50,000-100,000 gallons are normally built in a steel tank manufacture’s shop whereas the larger tanks, normally round vertical in shape, are field-erected. The larger

Heartland Tank Companies Showcase API 650 Tanks and Services at Agricultural Trade Shows

Along with ringing in the New Year is the continuation of the agricultural conferences and trade shows throughout the country. Hosted by most state agribusiness associations, these conferences and shows host educational sessions and display the current and new products for the agriculture industry. Attending a local trade show is the best way for anyone in the business to stay current on new laws, techniques, and technology to succeed in their sector of the agriculture market. Heartland Tank Companies will attend all of these trade shows to inform attendees of its new product, heated and insulated

API 650: The Best Way to Build an Above Ground Storage Tank

In today’s environment of safety consciousness and environmental concern, it would make sense that above ground storage tank owners would want assurances that their tanks are constructed in such a way that would prevent accidents and leaks. It would also make sense that state and local governments would want the same assurances. So when constructing a field erected tank, how do interested parties know that their above ground storage tank is built with safety in mind? Well, the answer is American Petroleum Institute (API) 650 Standard. Originally published in 1961, the standard establishes a consistent methodology for construction of

PVC Liners as Secondary Containment; How It Works

When considering secondary containment systems for your liquid fertilizer storage, there is a range of options.To meet state requirements, most systems for API 650 above ground storage tanks are designed to catch the liquid after it leaks from the tank, such as with dikes or double walled tanks. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Secondary Containment Liners, on the other hand, wind up being the primary containment of the liquid and the walls of the tank become the secondary containment. Most states allow such a system as long as a leak detection system is in place. In order to use a PVC internal

The Above Ground Storage Tank That Inspires Music

Well here’s an interesting story about an above ground storage tank that you don’t hear everyday. As reported by the Denver community paper Westword, an old tank in Rangely, Colo. is being used as a recording studio for music–and much more. History The tank was originally moved to Rangely in the 60s to store water for industrial use. It was never used for that purpose and was abandoned. Local teens began using it as a hangout spot. Then, for over 30 years, small groups of musicians experimented with the unusual sound properties of what became known as The Tank.

Liquid Fertilizer from Leftovers

Most of us are used to recycling cans and bottles by now. But two companies have developed successful technology to convert what would have been wasted food into liquid fertilizer. These technologies essentially recycle food. The Digester One of the companies is called California Safe Soil (CSS) and is located in Old Town Salinas, California. They are also building a plant in McClellan, near Sacramento. The way the system works is by taking produce from grocery stores that cannot be sold or donated and putting it into a “digester,” a tank that is used to cook the food with

Dangers of Vapors from Above Ground Storage Tanks

Deaths of oilfield workers over the years indicate there may be a safety gap when it comes to exposure to vapors in above ground storage tanks. Most recently, a 21 year-old worker was found dead on top of a steel storage tank. His job was to measure the oil level by dropping a rope down into the tank from an access hatch on top. Based on hydrocarbons found in his blood during the autopsy, it is believed he was overcome with petroleum vapors, passed out, and then died from continued exposure. While API-650 addresses construction an above ground storage

Does Your Liquid Fertilizer Tank Need An API 653 Inspection?

It is that time of year again when most liquid fertilizer tanks are empty after the spring fertilizer season. This is the perfect time to have an API 653 inspection performed on your above ground storage tank. The question is whether your tank is in need of an inspection. No federal regulations exist as to when a liquid fertilizer tank must have an inspection, so there are other sources that can guide you. Such sources include state regulations, guidelines from The Fertilizer Institute, and even your insurance company. Most states have a requirement on how often a

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