DE and Filter aide discussion

[buckeye gold]

Every year there are threads on filtering nightmares. It is probably the one most aggravating aspect of making maple syrup. Those who have filter presses have struggles as well as gravity filters. Being a small hobby guy filtering drives me nuts more than anything else I do. What I have seen in post is many different approaches to fixing one common problem, sugar sand! I typically double filter my syrup and have good success until late season, then I just throw a fit and say things that I wish I hadn't said before God and children. From multiple prefilters to how to set up presses there are many approaches. I was wondering if we could get a collection of specific recommendations for best practices in filtering. I mean, don't say use more prefilters or use less/more DE. I would like to see specifics like, how much DE per gallon, what temp you filter at, how to mix DE. I have used DE in my gravity filtering and just kind of guess at how much to use. I found an article on DE and filtering ( https://www.themaplenews.com/story/filtering-and-de-changes-make-for-easier-canning/128/ ) from Jan. 2017 Maple News. In in they talk about a courser DE. what are you all using? Is this courser grade easily available? As a small guy I don't want to buy 25-50 lbs of DE, but I have not found any source for small amounts. You can get food grade DE on Amazon and I have bought some, but it is super fine. This very fine dust does not work well in Maple syrup. I have no one with a press anywhere close to me, but would love to be able to get my hands on a couple pounds of this course DE. I think it would be much better for gravity filters. So how about we share what works for us, and be specific as possible. I think that there will be some very grateful producers, especially new and small producers.

[mountainvan]

If you search you'll find some older discussions that had my recommendation on the use of filter aide and flat filters. The maple guys sell 5 lb bags. Good luck.

[buckeye gold]

mountainvan - that is exactly the kind of information that many will find helpful. I just wanted to revive it and maybe update consolidate info.

[amaranth farm]

Radio Silence.

[maple flats]

I'd suggest 1/2 cup /gal on syrup. Make sure the syrup is real hot, like 200+, mix then pour onto or into the filter. As the syrup passes thru the filter it forms a filter cake rather than have all of the sugarsand build up on the filter surface and stopping the flow. The filter cake will build a thicker filter as the syrup passes thru but the DE gets trapped on the filter surface, spreading out the sugarsand so it does not plug the filter.

[Haynes Forest Products]

This is what I know about filtering in my operation.

I HATE PREFILTERS THEY SUCK. They suck for me because I have massive amounts of sugar sand and they clog right up. I transfer into my reheater/finisher I have a filter tray that I pump onto and yes its a prefilter but its a brand new white hand washed with out soaps cotton terry cloth bath towel. I can get 30 gallons thru it and quick wash it in a bucket and get back to prefiltering using it.

Once I prefilter with the course towel I can get almost a drum thru the short bank Wesfab. I dump a lot of DE in and no I don't have a formula. My reheater/finisher holds 70 gallons of syrup so I fill a drum at a time. I know guys that skimp on the DE and clean after 25 gallons on a long bank so to each their own. Now a few guys I know take all the filter housings stack them up and fill them to capacity without packing and that is how much they use. I feel that when I'm done filtering I get the best results when the plates are packed full and the press gauge is bouncing of the peg and its squealing like a bad wheel bearing at 100 MPH.

I mix my DE in using a food grade paint stirrer with my Ryobi cordless drill. I ONLY ADD WHEN SYRUP IS SIMMERING around 190 degrees. When your stirring DE in with a wisk I would pay attention to the syrup. I have seen it foam up and get scary. If you spatulate boiling syrup with a mechanical device you will airate it and increase the effects of the steam and it will boil over if your not careful. How do I know I have done it.:cry: Now if you do it while you add the DE your in for a real mess. YUP I have done it.

I add my DE only when my press is running and on circulate then once its mixed in will I change the press over to filter all while I'm still mixing. Now that its filtering and crystal clear will I switch back to recirculate and then put my filter hose into my bottler or drum. I will on occasion during the filling process I will give it a stir.

When I need to do a quick change of filters I shut down the press crack the plates loose walk away and give it 5 minuets and pull the plates punch the cake out and quick rinse them off. Reassemble put to recirculate under filtering as I spatulate and get back to business. I don't add more DE because there is plenty of it rolling around the bottom and in suspension.

I spill more syrup trying to save a few cups so I don.t clear my press with water. Now I don't do it because when I'm filtering because it make cleaning the press a PITA in the heat of the battle. Yea you can do a quick flush at the end but it is a messy mess.