Used tanks

[79Binder]

There are some used tanks on a farm auction near me. One is a poly 200 gallon pickup truck tank. The other is a 75 gallon round tank. They say they have both used only for water, but on a farm auction they can pretty much say anything they want. If I would scrub and pressure wash these tanks, fill them with water, wait 48 hours, sample this water and have it tested at a lab. And it would pass the quality test for well water, would that be good enough to insure that these tanks are safe for maple sap?

[farmall h]

79 I suppose you could sniff them before you bid. Personally, I wouldn't risk it, plus those truck tanks are hard to wash.

[Newfvt]

79-
I bought a 400 gal poly tank on wheels several years ago - who knows what had been in it. Before I made the buy I checked with our CENEX Co-op. There is a chemical treatment ($35/quart if I remember) that the coops use to literally kill chemicals in between field sprayer applications, ie between corn and soybeans. I did what the co-op said and we had essentially a brand new tank - water test was perfect.

As another suggestion, you "do" know about Ulmer's Dairy salvage in Pulaski..don't you? It is a tank graveyard - tons of stainless in any size and shape, great people, very reasonable prices.

Steve

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

hello people its food we are talking about my god

[GeneralStark]

Poly pickup truck tanks are a pain in the as* to clean and are in my opinion worthless for sap storage. If you are looking for a tank for a stationary setup, go with stainless. You can find open top bulk dairy tanks for good prices. Stainless is well worth the extra cost.

If you are looking for a transport tank for your truck or trailer, poly is ok but use one that is easy to clean. The pickup tanks have weird shapes that are difficult to get into to clean.

And as Flatlander said, we are talking about a food product here. If there is any question in your mind about what has been in a tank, don't use it for food.

[Like Minded Farmer]

5780

Plastic surfaces look smooth but really it can hold chemicals that may have been stored in them.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Poly pickup truck tanks are a pain in the as* to clean and are in my opinion worthless for sap storage. If you are looking for a tank for a stationary setup, go with stainless. You can find open top bulk dairy tanks for good prices. Stainless is well worth the extra cost.

If you are looking for a transport tank for your truck or trailer, poly is ok but use one that is easy to clean. The pickup tanks have weird shapes that are difficult to get into to clean.

And as Flatlander said, we are talking about a food product here. If there is any question in your mind about what has been in a tank, don't use it for food.

who knows what had been in it. Before I made the buy I checked with our CENEX Co-op. There is a chemical treatment ($35/quart if I remember) that the coops use to literally kill chemicals in between field sprayer applications, ie between corn and soybeans. I did what the co-op said and we had essentially a brand new tank - water test was perfect.

who knows what was in it that concerns me. A chemical to kill another chemical? I am far away from being a scientist but I dont like that procedure. Water test came back perfect, thats good but what was it tested for? and are all chemicals tested?
I just buy new and that takes out the possibilty of the tank being used for something else.
my one used tank I have came from a farm that had just shut down and bulk tank pulled right out of the milk house. The next used tank I am buying same thing but come from a goat milking farm.

[Thad Blaisdell]

Anything to save a buck. I hope you are comfortable eating your own syrup but does your label state "may or may not have been contaminated by chemicals". Come on guys get with the program. This is why our industry is going to be micromanaged by the govt. I am just at a complete lack for the right words. Are you guys idiots or what. Why not dip your home cookware in round-up and then tell Ma that it is perfectly safe, just because little jimmy has a third eye it must have been something else. You guys disgust me.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Anything to save a buck. I hope you are comfortable eating your own syrup but does your label state "may or may not have been contaminated by chemicals". Come on guys get with the program. This is why our industry is going to be micromanaged by the govt. I am just at a complete lack for the right words. Are you guys idiots or what. Why not dip your home cookware in round-up and then tell Ma that it is perfectly safe, just because little jimmy has a third eye it must have been something else. You guys disgust me.
totally agree Thad, but if its true i can use that chemical to clean my 1-1/4 main line tubing used to pump out my cellar after Irene lol lol lol

[western mainer]

Wow, Think about it guys, IT'S FOOD!! If you all would go by the rule set up in each state on Maple we all would be better off, we don't need any more over sight.
Brian

[Greenwich Maple Man]

I don't know how many times this is going to be hashed over. As already stated , unless the tank is guaranteed to have been used for food grade proucts don't use it. One caution is, just because the tank itself is food grade dosn't mean the product stored in it was food grade. Buying used tanks needs to be done with extreme caution if done at all. If I buy a used tank it would be from a food company that was using the tank for molases or some other food item. A tank that was used for chemicals to plant corn , give me a break. We need to self regulate or the goverment will soon be involved and regulating us. Hack up the money a buy the new tank or make other plans.

[79Binder]

It was a simple question and did not require responses to rise to this level of antagonism. For those who raise the question, I would not sell anything that I would not put on my own table. I would not store sap in a tank that I would not drink water out of. Having visited some of the local sugar bushes I can also say that the biggest proponents of high sanitation requirements, are the biggest violators. One local producer, state Department of Agriculture inspected, regularly touts the quality of his syrup. But stores it in open top galvanized tanks. Transports it in wooden top galvanized tanks. Does not use food grade hoses. And even has a drip cup dispensing a chemical deforming agent in the evaporator. I would never put the Maple syrup from this operation on my table.
Continue to hash this thread to death. As I bid this form in less than fond farewell and moved to friendlier territory.