6 Best ATV Liquid Tank Carriers For Irrigation For Small Acreage
Efficiently irrigate small acreage with an ATV. We review the 6 best liquid tank carriers, focusing on capacity, durability, and overall value.
That half-acre of sweet corn looks great until a dry spell hits and you’re staring down the barrel of hauling dozens of watering cans by hand. An ATV-mounted liquid tank carrier turns a back-breaking, multi-hour chore into a quick pass up and down the rows. This isn’t just about convenience; it’s about giving your crops the water they need, when they need it, without sacrificing your entire weekend.
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Choosing an ATV Tank for Small-Scale Irrigation
The right ATV tank isn’t about getting the biggest one you can find. It’s about matching the tool to your specific property and watering needs. A 25-gallon tank might be perfect for irrigating a quarter-acre market garden, but it could be overkill and unnecessarily heavy for watering a hundred newly planted saplings along a fenceline.
Consider your primary use case. Are you watering long, straight rows of vegetables? Or are you navigating around established fruit trees, raised beds, and other obstacles? The layout of your land dictates whether you need broad, even coverage from a boom or the pinpoint accuracy of a handheld wand.
Think about your water source, too. If you’re filling up from a well near the barn, a larger tank means fewer trips. But if you have to haul water to a remote corner of your property to fill the tank, a smaller, more manageable 15-gallon unit might be far more practical. The goal is to reduce labor, not just shift it from one task to another.
Key Features: Tank Size, Pump, and Boom Options
When you start comparing models, the specifications can feel overwhelming. It really boils down to three key components: the tank, the pump, and the delivery system. Each involves a tradeoff between capacity, power, and precision.
Tank size is the most obvious feature. A 15-gallon tank weighs about 125 pounds when full, a manageable weight for most ATVs. A 25-gallon tank is over 200 pounds, so you need to be sure your ATV’s rack can handle the load, especially on uneven ground. The extra capacity is a huge time-saver for larger plots, but don’t overload your machine.
The pump is the heart of the system, measured in gallons per minute (GPM) and pressure (PSI). For simple irrigation, a 1.0 to 2.2 GPM pump is plenty. Higher GPM moves more water faster, while higher PSI creates a finer mist and allows for a wider spray swath. For watering soil, volume (GPM) is more important than pressure.
Finally, consider the delivery method. Your main options are:
- Boom Sprayers: These have arms with multiple nozzles for uniform coverage over a fixed width. They are ideal for lawns or evenly spaced crop rows.
- Boomless Sprayers: A single nozzle or a small cluster sprays a wide, fan-shaped pattern. They are excellent for navigating around trees, fences, and other obstacles.
- Spot Sprayers: These use a handheld wand and hose. They offer maximum precision for watering individual plants, tree bases, or containers. Many boom and boomless models also include a spot sprayer wand for versatility.
Fimco 25-Gallon Boomless ATV Sprayer Versatility
The Fimco 25-gallon boomless model is a workhorse for a reason. Its main advantage is simplicity and the ability to cover a lot of ground without worrying about a physical boom snagging on a fence post or low-hanging branch. This makes it incredibly useful for irregularly shaped plots or pastures with scattered obstacles.
With a typical spray width of up to 30 feet, you can make quick work of a small field. The boomless design is less precise than a boom, however. On a windy day, you’ll get significant drift, which means water might not land exactly where you intend it to. This is less of a problem for general irrigation than for herbicide application, but it’s something to be aware of.
This sprayer is an excellent all-around choice if your property has a mix of open areas and tight spots. It provides the capacity for substantial watering tasks while retaining the maneuverability needed for a typical hobby farm layout. It’s the jack-of-all-trades in the ATV sprayer world.
NorthStar 26-Gallon Broadcast & Spot Sprayer
The NorthStar sprayer often comes equipped with both a rear-mounted broadcast boom and a spot sprayer wand. This dual functionality is its greatest strength. You get the efficient, uniform coverage for your vegetable rows and the precision of the wand for everything else.
Think of it this way: you can make a pass over your potato patch with the boom, then stop to give a deep soak to the young apple trees at the end of the row using the wand. This flexibility saves you from needing two separate pieces of equipment. The NorthStar pumps are also known for their durability and consistent pressure, ensuring you get a reliable spray pattern every time.
The main consideration here is the boom itself. While useful, it adds a rigid component to the back of your ATV. You’ll need to be more mindful of your path to avoid catching it on things. For a well-planned garden with clear lanes, it’s a superior system for even water distribution.
Master Manufacturing 15-Gallon Spot Sprayer
Sometimes, less is more. The Master Manufacturing 15-gallon spot sprayer is built for targeted jobs where precision is everything. If your main irrigation task is watering individual shrubs, newly planted windbreaks, or raised garden beds, this is the tool you need.
The smaller tank size makes it light and nimble. It can be mounted on smaller ATVs without issue and is easy to install and remove. You’re not hauling around extra weight or water you don’t need, which makes navigating tight spaces much easier. The focus is entirely on the handheld wand, which gives you complete control over where every drop of water goes.
This is not the right tool for watering a half-acre of anything. It’s a specialist. But for establishing new plantings or providing supplemental water to high-value individual plants, its targeted approach is far more efficient and effective than a broadcast sprayer.
Chapin 97300 15-Gallon Mixes On Exit Sprayer
Spray efficiently with the Chapin 97361: its dual tank design mixes concentrate on demand, eliminating premixing. Featuring a 15-gallon water tank, quick connect pump, and triple filtration, this USA-made sprayer easily attaches to your ATV/UTV.
The Chapin "Mixes On Exit" system is a unique piece of engineering. Instead of pre-mixing a solution in the main tank, you fill the tank with plain water and put a concentrate (like a liquid fertilizer) in a separate, smaller reservoir. The system mixes them as the liquid is sprayed.
For pure irrigation, this feature is irrelevant. But for the hobby farmer who wants to "fertigate"—apply liquid fertilizer while watering—this is a game-changer. It means you can switch between plain water and a fertilizer mix without having to empty and rinse the entire 15-gallon tank. You use only the concentrate you need for the job at hand.
While this technology is impressive, it adds complexity. If your sole purpose is hauling water, a standard tank is simpler and more cost-effective. But if you value the flexibility to apply treatments and water in a single pass, the Chapin offers a level of efficiency that other sprayers can’t match.
Agri-Fab 45-0292 15-Gallon Tow Sprayer Option
Moving the tank off the ATV rack and onto its own wheels changes the dynamic completely. The Agri-Fab tow-behind sprayer frees up your ATV’s cargo racks for other tools and eliminates any concern about overloading your vehicle’s suspension. It’s also incredibly easy to hitch and unhitch.
The primary benefit is weight distribution. A full 15-gallon tank (125+ lbs) is towed behind, making the ATV feel more stable and maneuverable, especially on hills. This design also allows it to be towed by a lawn tractor, not just an ATV, adding to its versatility.
The tradeoff is a larger turning radius. A trailer will not follow the exact path of the tow vehicle, a phenomenon known as "off-tracking." This makes it less suitable for navigating extremely tight, winding paths between garden beds or trees. For straight runs across a pasture or down long garden rows, it’s an excellent and stable option.
Precision TCT25 Spot Sprayer for Targeted Watering
The Precision TCT25 is another strong contender in the larger, 25-gallon class, often focused on spot application. Like its 15-gallon counterparts, its purpose is targeted watering, but with a much larger reservoir for bigger jobs. This is the right tool for someone who has, for example, several hundred new trees to water across a few acres.
You get the capacity to work for a long time without refilling, combined with the pinpoint accuracy of a spray wand. This model is ideal for tasks that are too big for a small spot sprayer but still require individual plant attention. Think of watering a young orchard or a long row of berry bushes where a broadcast spray would be wasteful.
The 25-gallon capacity means you must have an ATV with racks rated for the weight. But if you have the machine to carry it and the job to justify it, this sprayer bridges the gap between small-scale spot treatments and large-scale broadcast watering. It’s about bringing capacity to a precision task.
Ultimately, the best ATV tank carrier is the one that fits the scale and style of your operation. Don’t get sold on raw capacity or features you won’t use; instead, choose the sprayer that will make your specific watering chores faster and more effective. A smart equipment choice is one that buys you back time you can spend on the hundred other tasks waiting for you.
