Filtering over Kill

[Grand Square Acres]

Is to much filtering a bad thing? This is my 5th sugaring season and I have filtered my sap 4 times before it ever sees the evaporator. I had a local maple producer ( his family has been in the maple business since the 1880's) stop over the weekend and while talking we got on the subject of filtering sap. After telling him how many times I filter before it goes to the evaporator he got really up set with me and started going off. He was saying that with every pass through a filter I am removing more sugar from the sap and was really suprised that I was making any syrup by filtering that much. Is he right am I remove sugar from my sap? My sap hydro. shows about 2.5 to 2.7 before the first filter its about same after the third pass, haven't checked on the 4th because it goes into a tank that feeds the evaporator. Just wondering if I should listen to him or just over look him.
Just wanted to get more feed back on filtering sap.

[lyford]

ignore him, filter wont change the sugar %, only using an ro would do that

[Bruce L]

Why filter more than once though, you are creating extra work for yourself. Just make sure that you have a good filter that will catch all the debris you are wanting to eliminate before it gets into you final holding tank.

[Cabin]

Is to much filtering a bad thing? This is my 5th sugaring season and I have filtered my sap 4 times before it ever sees the evaporator. I had a local maple producer ( his family has been in the maple business since the 1880's) stop over the weekend and while talking we got on the subject of filtering sap. After telling him how many times I filter before it goes to the evaporator he got really up set with me and started going off. He was saying that with every pass through a filter I am removing more sugar from the sap and was really suprised that I was making any syrup by filtering that much. Is he right am I remove sugar from my sap? My sap hydro. shows about 2.5 to 2.7 before the first filter its about same after the third pass, haven't checked on the 4th because it goes into a tank that feeds the evaporator. Just wondering if I should listen to him or just over look him.
Just wanted to get more feed back on filtering sap.

Just wonder why you filter so much?? There is bound to be some sugars lost but I do not think it would be measurable.

[maple flats]

Not exactly, some sugar likely adheres to the filter at each pass, but it is certainly minimal. Unless you are filtering the sap from just 1 or 2 trees, you won't miss the sugar. On the other side of the discussion, why filter that many times? Most don't filter at all, some do 1 or 2 times, as the sap is moved from one place (or vessel) to another. In fact I filter 2x, once as it is pumped from the tank to my truck and a second time as it is entering the RO.

[Grand Square Acres]

I filter every time it goes into a tank. 1st is at the collecting tank, then when it is pumped out into the tank on the truck, then when it is pumped into holding tank in the sugar shack then one last time when it is pumped to the evaporator feed tank. I just want to keep as much of the bugs, leafs ect. out of the sap. Maybe it is a little over kill. Then again maybe some type of compulsive disorder.

[wnybassman]

The only time anything of mine sees a filter is when the hydrometer tells me it's finished and I pour it through the filters into my bottling coffee urn.

[happy thoughts]

I'm with wnybassman. Filtering sap seems pointless to me. A fine mesh kitchen strainer to remove visible debris from freshly collected sap should be all you need. Why make so much extra work for yourself?

[markct]

Filtering sap atleast once is recomended in most maple production guidlines and is good practice in my opinion. I filter all my sap thru a milk sock filter as i pump it from my 400 gal truck tank to my 1650 gal storage tank. You would be surprised that even with crystal clear sap you can watch the pressure go from zero to 5 to 8 psi after a thousand gallons of sap or so often. I also feel it keeps better in storage the cleaner it is, ie less organisms to grow and things for them to grow on or feed on. I have no reason not to filter, either way i have to pump the sap off, why wouldnt i run it thru a filter, a box of 100 costs under 20 bucks and lasts me 2 seasons or so even with over 1000 taps. My sap also gets filtered again of course by the 5 micron filter on the ro.

[motowbrowne]

The idea that the sap is losing sugar each time you filter it is hilarious. The filter will probably stay a little wet between uses, and the water will evaporate, but the sugar in the sap that passes through the filter will be intact. Actually, if you use the filter several times, you will recoup the sugar from the previous drying out.

4 times is more than necessary, but if you like doing it, go right ahead.

[Lazarus]

We filter once using a pop-on style filter bag, but had a lot of problems with it this year. Our new 1.5 HP Leader sap pump (it's really a Berkeley sprinkler pump) is way too powerful for it. The 2" discharge makes it hard to keep the bag in place on the head, and any foam spills out the back, taking some small bits of debris with it.

Still, it probably gets 98% of it, mostly bugs (ew). Ants, big ants, beetles, spiders, flies. Too much of a pain to filter twice. If I can pick any that got through off the top of the water on the holding tank, I do. Otherwise, it just goes to extra taste and higher protein! Anything not obliterated by 6 hours at full boil will get filtered back out in the DE.

[Michael Greer]

What are you filtering through? I don't know of a filter that could remove sugar in solution, and removing impurities like dirt, and dust can do nothing but improve the end product.

[Mark-NH]

4x sounds obsessive to me. What are you seeing in the filter on the second, third and fourth pass? I am guessing not much. Important filtering happens on the other end.

[Russell Lampron]

I filter once and that is the pre filter in the RO. I would like to filter when it goes into the bulk tank but haven't found a filter that will stand up to the pressure from the sap pumps. I have tried the pop on filters but they clog too fast and the foam and some of the dirt just back wash out and defeat the purpose of the filter. Never tried a milk sock. Can you get them at TSC and will they stand up to the volume and pressure of a 2" pump?

[Tappy Sap Master]

I filter once between the head tank & evaporator with an inline 5 micron water filter setup. I'm surprised at the difference between the 5 & 10 micron filters.

[markct]

Russel, TSC has them. I run mine up to about 8 to 10 psi of restriction then change them. Depending on the sap often get a thousand gal or more thru before pressure rises

[Big_Eddy]

In the early season, my sap goes straight into the tank without filtering. Later in the season, I will use a stainless wire screen over the tank opening to keep out the moths, ants and any sticks / twigs and debris. I don't have an RO, so don't have to worry about plugging membranes.

Typical filtering won't remove any traceable amount of sugar.

[Snowy Pass Maple]

I finally got a pop-sap filter bag and just strapped it over my cage tank opening - I'm a fan. But I'm only pumping in with a 1" pump through a 3/4" mainline. The filter has no trouble keeping up with this flow. I have also seen that the 5-micron RO pre-filter cartridge stays very clean, and obviously getting dirt, leaf debris, etc. out can only be good for sap stability.

One argument I can see against repeated filters would be that if not maintained well, each of these will become a breeding ground that is rich in surface area for microorganisms to thrive and feast on a regular flow of sweet sap. So maybe from that perspective, you could argue you might get some sugar loss with many filters in a row?

[Grand Square Acres]

I use a pop on filter, I don't have any issues with it clogging or back washing. I don't get much in the 2nd or 3rd pass, but have removed bugs now and then. I just fill that filtering every time when it is in the open just prevents any type of contaminate from entering the sap.

[theguywiththename]

I just use a syrup prefilter designated for sap just to get large visible debris out