Fuel Tanks

Diesel Tank Sizing — Quick Reference

Diesel tank selection comes down to (1) capacity needed for your refuelling cadence, (2) portable vs static, and (3) what dispensing pump/meter/filter kit pairs with it. AIMS stocks Macnaught, Alemlube and Lubemate poly tanks from 75L to 600L with matched dispensing kits.

Critical: Diesel and AdBlue equipment must NEVER cross-contaminate — AdBlue ruins SCR catalysts. Match pump, meter, filter, and nozzle as a complete dispensing kit. Companion ranges: diesel pumps, flow meters, diesel nozzles, diesel hose reels, Macnaught brand range.

Diesel Fuel Tanks: Poly Storage & Complete Dispensing Kits for Site & Fleet

Secure, compliant diesel storage on-site reduces refuelling downtime, lowers haulage costs, and keeps your fleet and equipment running. AIMS Industrial supplies a comprehensive range of poly diesel tanks and complete dispensing kits — from 75L to 600L portable or site tanks — from Macnaught, Alemlube and Lubemate. Pair any tank with our pump, meter, filter, and nozzle range for a plug-and-play diesel dispensing setup.

The AIMS Diesel Tank Range

Our tank range is made from durable, UV-stabilised polyethylene — chemically resistant to diesel, AdBlue, and DEF — and is designed for Australian site conditions.

• Portable Tanks & Caddies: The Macnaught 75L Transportable Caddy (TC75-01) is a compact, self-contained diesel solution ideal for light fleet and small equipment. Easy to load onto utes and trailers for field refuelling.
• Mid-Range Diesel Tanks: Macnaught 100L, 200L, and 300L poly diesel tank kits offer a step up in capacity for medium-sized sites. The Macnaught 200L Poly Diesel Tank Kit (MDT200L) is a popular choice for workshop and depot use.
• High-Capacity Site Tanks: The Macnaught 400L (narrow and standard) and 600L poly diesel tank kits are built for high-consumption sites — mining, earthmoving, construction, and transport operations. Fewer refills, less downtime.
• Complete Pump & Tank Kits: Macnaught diesel tanks with 12V high-flow pump kits (60 LPM and 85 LPM) and Alemlube Piusi auto-nozzle poly diesel storage tanks are delivered as ready-to-go dispensing systems — tank, pump, hose, and nozzle included.
• AdBlue & Combo Tanks: The Lubemate 200L Poly AdBlue/DEF Tank (L-PABT200) and Lubemate 330/50L Poly Combo Diesel/AdBlue Tank (L-PCT33050) allow separate diesel and AdBlue storage in a single footprint — ideal for SCR-equipped fleets. Also see our AdBlue equipment range.

Choosing the Right Diesel Tank

• Capacity Planning: Size your tank to your refuelling frequency and fleet consumption. A general rule: store enough diesel for 3–7 days of peak use. Oversizing wastes money; undersizing creates constant refill logistics.
• Complete the System: Pair your tank with a diesel transfer pump, fuel filter, fuel meter, and a dispensing nozzle for a full dispensing system. Many kits include all components.
• Compliance: Check local council and state regulations for above-ground fuel storage. Volume thresholds for secondary containment requirements vary by state — see our spill control and containment range for bunded pallets and spill trays.
• Expert Support: Need help sizing a complete diesel storage system? Contact our team or request a quote and we’ll specify the right tank, pump, and accessories for your site.
• Australian Business, Local Supply: As a proudly Australian business since 1988, we stock locally and work with trusted local Australian manufacturers and distributors to ensure fast, reliable supply.

Australian industries that drive diesel and fuel tank demand

Diesel fuel storage and dispensing in Australia spans every industry that runs diesel-powered equipment off-grid or refuels fleet vehicles on site. The Australian buyer segments include civil construction and earthmoving (site refuelling for excavators, dozers, graders, dump trucks — typically 200–1,000L portable tanks moved between sites), agriculture and grain (on-farm bulk diesel for tractors, harvesters, headers — 600–10,000L static tanks with annual fill cycles), mining and resources (haul truck refuelling, light vehicle support, generator backup — 1,000–10,000L static tanks plus 200L portable units), local government and councils (parks and gardens machinery, road grader refuelling), transport and logistics (fleet truck refuelling at depot — IBC-format dispensing units or fixed bulk tanks), and emergency standby (hospital, data centre and telecommunications backup generator day tanks).

The decision factors that drive purchase are capacity (matched to consumption rate between fills), portability (utility-mounted, trailer-towed, or fixed installation), dispensing rate (60 L/min hand pump suits utility refuelling, 90+ L/min electric pumps suit fleet refuelling), measurement (metering for cost recovery vs basic flow indication), filtration (fine particulate removal protects modern common-rail diesel engines from injector damage), and compliance (AS 1940 for fuel storage on commercial premises).

Tank capacity matched to your refuelling cadence

Tank sizing comes down to consumption rate and fill availability. The practical Australian sizing tiers:

75–200L portable utility tanks: Ute-mounted or trailer-mounted, refilled from a service-station forecourt every few days. Suit small-fleet site refuelling — one or two pieces of plant per day, total daily consumption 30–80L. The Macnaught 105L "Boltz" and Lubemate 200L portable tanks fit this segment. Lift point and securing options for the tray installation are the main spec differentiators.

400–600L portable/transportable tanks: The site fleet refuelling tier. Suit small contractors with 3–8 pieces of plant on site, total daily consumption 100–300L. Refilled weekly or fortnightly from a bulk delivery. The dispensing kit typically includes a 12V DC pump (60–80 L/min), a 1.5–2.0m hose, an auto-cut nozzle and a basic mechanical meter. Common from Macnaught, Alemlube and Lubemate.

1,000–2,500L static tanks: The bulk on-site storage tier. Suit medium-sized civil and agricultural operations, total daily consumption 300–1,000L. Refilled monthly from a bulk delivery. Mounted on skid bases for relocation by forklift or telehandler. Dispensing kit upgrades to a 90+ L/min 240V AC pump, a flow meter (mechanical or digital), and a filter assembly for fine particulate removal. Compliance considerations escalate at this size — AS 1940 separation distances from buildings, ignition sources and boundaries apply.

5,000–10,000L+ bulk tanks: The static commercial bulk storage tier. Suit large mining, agricultural and transport operations. Built to AS 1692 (Steel Tanks for Flammable and Combustible Liquids) construction. Self-bunded designs are standard at this scale to meet the AS 1940 secondary containment requirement.

AS 1940 compliance — what every commercial diesel installation needs

AS 1940 (The storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids) is the Australian standard that governs commercial diesel storage. Diesel is classified Class C2 (combustible liquid with flashpoint 60.5°C–93°C). The key compliance points for a typical commercial installation: separation distances (the standard sets minimum distances between the tank, the boundary, buildings and ignition sources — exact distances vary with tank capacity and installation type), secondary containment (a bunded enclosure or self-bunded tank that captures 110% of the tank capacity in the event of leak — most modern poly and steel tanks are self-bunded by design), bonding and earthing (an earth strap at the dispensing point prevents static discharge ignition during refuelling), spill response equipment (a spill kit appropriate to the tank capacity within easy reach), signage (Class C2 combustible signage, no-smoking signage, emergency contact signage), and fire protection (a portable fire extinguisher of appropriate class within 5m of the dispensing point — typically dry chemical AB(E) suits diesel).

For tanks above 1,000L on commercial premises, document the installation with a site plan showing all of the above. State regulators (Worksafe in each state) audit fuel installations periodically — the audit-ready installation has the documentation prepared.

Brand depth — Macnaught, Alemlube and Lubemate at AIMS

Macnaught is the Australian-owned and manufactured fluid handling brand and the headline supplier of fuel tanks at AIMS. Macnaught's range covers portable utility tanks (the BoltZ series in 105L through to 500L+), transportable tanks (with skid bases for forklift relocation), and the full dispensing kit ecosystem including 12V DC pumps, 240V AC pumps, manual rotary pumps, mechanical and digital meters, filters, hoses and nozzles. Macnaught's strength: every part is supportable through Australian distribution, the engineering is built for Australian climate (UV stability on poly tanks matters under Australian sun), and the warranty coverage is genuinely actionable through local distributors.

Alemlube is the Australian-distributed industrial fluid handling brand with strong presence in heavy-duty diesel refuelling pumps, particularly the Bi-Lobe gear pump range (the 100 L/min "Heavy Duty Bi-Lobe Refuelling Drum Pump With Filter" is one of AIMS's top-selling fluid handling products by both revenue and invoice count). Alemlube tanks pair with their dispensing kit ecosystem.

Lubemate rounds out the AIMS range with portable diesel tank kits, fuel filter funnels, mechanical and digital meters, and auto-shutoff nozzles. Lubemate suits the smaller-fleet contractor segment with simpler configurations and competitive pricing.

Pump, meter, filter and nozzle — building the dispensing kit

The tank is half the purchase — the dispensing equipment is the other half and worth attention. Pumps: 12V DC gear pumps (60–80 L/min) for portable utility tanks; 240V AC pumps (90+ L/min) for static commercial tanks; manual rotary pumps for emergency backup or where no power source is available. Meters: mechanical "litres delivered" totalisers for basic tracking; digital metered nozzles with batch presetting for fleet cost recovery; full electronic console meters for multi-vehicle operations needing per-vehicle usage data. Filters: particulate filtration (10 micron or finer) protects modern common-rail diesel engines from injector damage caused by fine dirt in field-stored fuel; water-separator filters remove condensation moisture that accumulates in tanks over winter. Nozzles: auto-cut nozzles prevent over-fill on tank-side dispensing; high-flow open nozzles suit operator-attended fleet refuelling; preset nozzles cut at programmed volume for batch refuelling.

Cross-link to AIMS fuel-handling related collections

The fuel tank investment connects to the broader AIMS lubrication and fluid handling category. Companion ranges: fuel meters for dispensing accuracy and fleet cost recovery, grease equipment for the broader lubrication side, oil equipment for engine oil dispensing, hose reels for the dispensing hose management, Macnaught brand collection for the complete Macnaught fluid handling ecosystem, Alemlube brand collection, and Lubemate brand collection. For spill management at the dispensing point see spill kits. For PPE at refuelling see safety glasses and hi-vis clothing.

Fuel tanks and dispensing — common questions

Do I need AS 1940 compliance for a small ute-mounted diesel tank?

For private rural and farm use of small tanks (under 200L) the regulatory requirements are limited. For any commercial site, contractor business or fleet operation the AS 1940 framework applies — separation distances, bonding, signage and spill response. Your local Worksafe contact can clarify the specific obligations for your installation type. The investment in a compliant installation is typically a few hundred dollars on top of the tank purchase (signage, earth strap, spill kit, extinguisher) and removes the audit risk.

How fast can I dispense diesel from a 12V tank pump?

Typical 12V DC pumps deliver 60–80 L/min into a flooded discharge (open hose, no significant backpressure). Real-world ute-mounted refuelling typically achieves 40–60 L/min through the hose-and-nozzle restriction. For a 200L equipment fill that's roughly 4–5 minutes. For higher flow rates step up to a 240V AC pump (90+ L/min) which suits fixed installations with mains power available.

What filter micron rating do I need for modern diesel engines?

Modern common-rail diesel engines (Tier 4 Final and equivalent) need fuel cleanliness below 10 micron and ideally below 5 micron at the injector. Add a 10-micron particulate filter to the dispensing kit as a minimum; for high-value engines or critical fleet specify a 2-stage filter with a 30-micron pre-filter and a 10-micron or 5-micron secondary. Water-separator filters remove condensation moisture and are essential in winter conditions or for tanks that sit half-full between fills.

Do diesel tanks need cleaning between fills?

Modern Australian commercial diesel is typically clean enough not to require routine tank cleaning between fills. Tanks that sit partly empty for extended periods can accumulate condensation water and microbial growth ("diesel bug") on the water-fuel interface — for tanks with that history, annual draining and cleaning plus a biocide additive resolves the issue. Field-stored diesel that has been in the tank for over 12 months also degrades chemically (oxidation, polymerisation) and is worth filtering before use.

Can I get the same tank with multiple capacity options?

Each tank model in the Macnaught, Alemlube and Lubemate ranges typically comes in 2–4 capacity points within a body family. The 200L, 400L and 600L portable Boltz series share the same dispensing kit interface so a fleet using multiple tank sizes can standardise on one pump and nozzle range. Static tanks scale up to 10,000L+ with progressively more complex dispensing kit options.

What about poly versus steel tanks?

Modern double-skin poly tanks dominate the portable and small-static segment because they're lighter, don't rust, are factory-bunded by design, and are price-competitive against steel. Steel tanks (typically self-bunded steel construction to AS 1692) remain the default at the 5,000L+ bulk static tier where the structural strength matters and the volume justifies the construction cost. For most commercial installations under 2,500L poly is the right choice; for above 5,000L static bulk, steel is the right choice.

For tank sizing matched to your fleet consumption, dispensing kit specification, AS 1940 compliance review, or quotes on Macnaught, Alemlube and Lubemate diesel storage solutions, contact our team.

People Also Ask — Fuel Tanks and Storage

Q: What types of fuel tanks does AIMS stock?

Portable diesel and petrol transfer tanks (50L to 1000L), ute-mounted fuel tanks, on-site bulk storage tanks (1000-25,000L), self-bunded tanks (built-in 110% containment), and AdBlue-specific tanks (stainless or HDPE construction). For workshop and trade vehicle refuelling: ute-mounted diesel tanks (200-450L) are workshop standard. For site bulk storage: self-bunded tanks comply with AS 1940 dangerous goods storage requirements. Match tank capacity to typical refuelling volume + bund requirements.

Q: Do fuel tanks need to comply with AS 1940?

Yes — AS 1940 'Storage and Handling of Flammable and Combustible Liquids' applies to most workplace fuel storage. Key requirements: bunding (containment of 110% tank capacity for the largest tank in the bund), spill kits and signage, ventilation, fire equipment, and quantity-based licensing thresholds. Self-bunded tanks include the bund as part of the tank design — simpler compliance. Diesel under 1000L is generally less regulated than petrol. Always check with your state WHS regulator for specific requirements.

Q: Self-bunded or single-skin fuel tank?

Self-bunded (double-skin with integral bund): no separate bund construction needed, faster installation, simpler compliance with AS 1940, higher upfront cost. Single-skin: requires separately-built bund (concrete or steel), cheaper tank but more expensive overall once bunding is built. For most modern installations, self-bunded is the workshop standard — combines compliance and convenience. For very large bulk storage (>50,000L), single-skin in engineered bunds may be more cost-effective.

Q: How long do fuel tanks last?

Quality steel fuel tanks (powder-coated externally, internally treated): 15-25 years with periodic inspection and recoating. Polyethylene tanks (UV-stabilised HDPE): 10-15 years before UV degradation requires replacement. Stainless tanks (304 or 316): 25-40 years for marine and harsh environments. Inspect annually for external corrosion, internal sediment/water build-up, and bund integrity. Replace tanks before failure — leak remediation is far more expensive than planned replacement.

Q: What pump do I need for my fuel tank?

Match flow rate to typical refuelling volume: 40-60 L/min for light workshop refuelling, 60-100 L/min for service trucks, 100-200 L/min for commercial bulk dispensing. 12V/24V for ute-mounted tanks, 240V/415V for fixed installations. AIMS stocks Piusi, Macnaught, and Alemlube pump ranges for fuel transfer applications. For diesel: standard cast iron or aluminium body pumps. For AdBlue: stainless steel/specialty polymer pumps only — different equipment required.