55-Gallon Drum Fertilizer Guide: Pumps, Storage & Handling

The 55-Gallon Drum: Farm Standard for Mid-Volume Purchasing

The 55-gallon drum (also called a barrel) is the de facto standard for mid-volume liquid purchasing across agriculture, industrial, and chemical sectors. For farm operations applying biological fertilizers on 100–600 acres, drums offer a practical balance of volume economy and handling flexibility. They can be moved without forklifts, stored in standard farm buildings, and managed without specialized equipment.

AgConcepts products — including AgZyme, Super Hume, Enhance, Pervaide, Huma K, and AgCor — are all available in 55-gallon drum format, giving mid-size operations access to significant per-gallon savings versus smaller containers without the infrastructure requirements of IBC totes.

Drum Specifications

Specification	Steel Drum	HDPE Drum
Capacity	55 gallons (208 L)	55 gallons (208 L)
Diameter	22.5"	22.5"
Height	34.5"	35"
Empty weight	~38 lbs	~25 lbs
Full weight (water weight)	~496 lbs	~483 lbs
Common openings	2" NPT bung + ¾" vent	2" NPT bung + 2" bung

AgConcepts liquid biologicals ship in HDPE (high-density polyethylene) drums. HDPE provides superior chemical compatibility with enzyme and humic acid products and eliminates rust and corrosion concerns. Do not store AgConcepts biological products in steel drums long-term — humic acid can react with bare steel over extended storage.

Drum Pump Selection

Efficient transfer from a 55-gallon drum requires the right pump. Your primary options:

Manual Rotary Barrel Pumps

Basic hand-crank or lever-action rotary pumps thread directly into the 2" bung and transfer approximately 1 gallon per 8–12 handle rotations. Flow rate is roughly 3–5 GPM. No power required. These are adequate for low-volume applications and infrequent transfer but become tedious for filling larger tanks repeatedly. Cost: $25–$60.

Electric Barrel Pumps (12V)

12-volt electric drum pumps transfer 4–8 GPM and run off a standard tractor battery, utility cart, or portable battery pack. They are the most practical option for farm use — portable, no need for 110V power at the drum location, and fast enough for realistic fill-time requirements. Look for models with HDPE or polypropylene wetted parts and a minimum 20-GPM motor-off rating. Cost: $55–$140.

Electric Barrel Pumps (110V)

110V centrifugal or diaphragm pumps provide higher flow rates (8–20 GPM) and are appropriate if you have power in the area where drums are stored. More powerful but less portable than 12V options. Cost: $80–$200.

Hand Siphon Pumps

Manual siphon bulb pumps are appropriate for small transfers (filling spray backpacks, sampling) but impractical for transferring 20+ gallons at a time. Not recommended as a primary transfer method for farm operations.

Drum Storage Best Practices

Proper storage protects product quality and ensures safe handling:

• Upright storage preferred: Store drums upright (bung side up) to minimize risk of product settling near the seal and to simplify pump access. Drums stored on their side increase seal failure risk over time.
• Temperature control: Store AgConcepts products between 40°F and 85°F. Insulated farm buildings are adequate in most climates. Do not allow to freeze — freezing is detrimental to biological products.
• Bung tightness: Verify bung caps are tight after each use. A slow drip from a 55-gallon drum can lose significant product over a season — and create a slip and environmental hazard in your storage area.
• Secondary containment: Regulations in many states require secondary containment for stored liquid fertilizers. A drum cradle with a 65+ gallon integrated containment tray is the most practical solution for single-drum storage.
• Labeling: Mark each drum clearly with product name, date received, and the date first opened. Track inventory against acres applied to confirm you're using product within its shelf life (typically 12–24 months depending on product).

Cost Per Gallon and Acreage Coverage

Product	Drum Price (approx.)	$/Gallon	Rate (qt/acre)	Acres per Drum
AgZyme	~$870	~$15.82	1.5 qt	~147 acres
Super Hume	~$715	~$13.00	1.5 qt	~147 acres
Charge	~$900	~$16.36	1.5 qt	~147 acres
Enhance	~$785	~$14.27	1 qt	~220 acres
Pervaide	~$660	~$12.00	1 qt	~220 acres
Huma K	~$715	~$13.00	1 qt	~220 acres
AgCor	~$750	~$13.64	1 qt	~220 acres

Note: Prices are approximate and subject to change. Contact BulkFarmer for current pricing and volume discount thresholds.

Drum vs. Tote Decision Guide

Choose a 55-gallon drum if: you're farming 100–500 acres with the product, you don't have a forklift, you're trying a new product, or you need flexibility to store small quantities of multiple different products simultaneously.

Upgrade to tote purchasing when your annual usage of any single product exceeds 100–150 gallons — at that volume, the per-gallon savings on the tote typically pay back the storage infrastructure cost within the first order.