Diesel tank of ss? Aluminium? Fibreglass?

[col50]

Originally Posted by JeremyFowler

Greetings from New Zealand.
Another bit of advice please...
I'm replacing the diesel tank in our (new to us) old Cavalier 39. I've been looking for a relevant thread without success. What is the recommended tank material? The tank will be fitted into the original spot in the keel, and I can have it made to fit the tapered profile. I would have assumed that SS would be the best, but maybe there are issues that I'm not aware of. Corrosion, or whatever... The fibreglass option would enable the tank to be the maximum size though... It would probably be about 120 litres full up. I'd also need some means of telling how much fuel is left. Any tips on this also appreciated.
Cheers!

There is nothing wrong with building fuel tanks with plain old cold-rolled mild steel. The tank should have mounting flanges and should not be allowed to contact anything. The outside of the tank should be coated with Coal Tar Epoxy. The tank should be kept full to prevent condensation (on the inside) in cold weather.
This is the traditional way. The diesel tanks on my boat are 49 years old and are still in good condition.

[BobbyBuoy]

Check Atlas Tanks website, based in MacKay QLD. https://atlastanks.com.au/standard-sizes/

[barryglewis]

If overseas, you might not be able to avoid Bio diesel , we ended up with it in Ostea ( near Rome), couldn't find a garage selling straight diesel, and the marina pumps were closed.