3/16 sanitation solutions

[t-ciccarello]

Planning on flushing/instilling a Calcium hypochlorite solution to sanitize my 3/16 tubing system. Does anyone have any guidance as to what concentration of solution to use? I have the simple small packets of pool chlorine.

[gbeneke]

I think they have been using 400 ppm or something like 1/4 teaspoon per gallon.

[t-ciccarello]

Hey… if it works…
I used some expired IV tubing and solution from the local department training supply, and used a harbor freight hand pump to fill the bag via an opening cut in the top. 2258222583

[minehart gap]

Now that's something I never saw before. An iv bag hooked up to a tree. It must have been feeling under the weather.

[220 maple]

Future Generations University received a grant to research 3/16 tubing cleaning issues, I’ve turned over a woods that the tubing has been used 4 years now, there plan is one line no cleaning, one 4 year old line cleaned using the method and chemicals that Art Kruger used! And one line with everything brand new! Should be some good info backed up by numbers probably by the middle of April 2022
Mark 220 Maple

[minehart gap]

Mark, is this all experiment all vacuum provided by gravity? Will there be any with vacuum assisted by a pump? I wonder if the sanitation would be better if a pump would add to the vacuum provided by gravity in that at the end of a run, the laterals would have more sap removed and less sap available to be taken back by the tree.

[DrTimPerkins]

Future Generations University received a grant to research 3/16 tubing cleaning issues, I’ve turned over a woods that the tubing has been used 4 years now, there plan is one line no cleaning, one 4 year old line cleaned using the method and chemicals that Art Kruger used! And one line with everything brand new! Should be some good info backed up by numbers probably by the middle of April 2022
Mark 220 Maple

Good to hear FGU will be doing this work. It should extend the findings of prior work into the southern production areas of maple.

If you want more info on cleaning 3/16" tubing before 2022, you can see some of the results that UVM PMRC and Cornell have found at:

https://mapleresearch.org/pub/tubingsani2020/
https://mapleresearch.org/pub/1219tubing-2/
https://www.themaplenews.com/story/5-16-vs-3-16-no-clear-winner/368/

There are other papers out there also, but I don't have links to them at hand. They all pretty much say the same thing: new is best, sanitation is required, replacement strategies used in 5/16" tubing are not entirely adequate (due to the added clogging issues in 3/16" tubing).

Interesting that people seem to think and refer to it as the "Art Kruger" method. The use of calcium hypochlorite in maple tubing was actually developed at UVM PMRC back around 2012 and then tested for many years as a means to reduce animal damage found when using normal bleach (sodium hypochlorite). Art was an early adopter of 3/16" tubing, so hit the issues of clogging/sanitation earlier than most others. He heard about UVM testing of calcium hypochlorite in talking to Dr. Abby van den Berg (UVM PMRC) and ran with it with great success. What didn't transfer as well is that NOT ALL CALCIUM HYPOCHLORITE IS FOOD-GRADE. It is up to maple producers to ensure that what they are using is suitable.

[220 maple]

Minehart Gap Maple
All natural vacuum test
Mark 220 Maple

[Openwater]

I think they have been using 400 ppm or something like 1/4 teaspoon per gallon.
Is the 1/4 tsp per gallon the 68% calcium hypochlorite granular/powder?
Or is the Ca-hypochlorite some other concentration/form?

[buckeye gold]

What didn't transfer as well is that NOT ALL CALCIUM HYPOCHLORITE IS FOOD-GRADE. It is up to maple producers to ensure that what they are using is suitable.

Is there a simple way to tell if your calcium Hypochloride is food grade?

[DrTimPerkins]

Is there a simple way to tell if your calcium Hypochloride is food grade?

Unfortunately it isn't that simple. It won't be classified as food-grade since it is not a food-additive. Sanitizing chemicals are regulated by the EPA, not the USDA/FDA. Some chemicals termed "pool" sanitizers are approved, others are not. It is necessary for end users to make a determination based upon the product literature. Don't ask the local pool dealer...CHECK THE DOCUMENTATION.

If it is an approved sanitizer it will say something like "approved for porous or non-porous food preparation surfaces" on the product label or EPA registration documents. An example for Zappit (note that this is not an endorsement, just one example). The emphasis in italics is mine.
https://www.westlake.com/safety_guidelines/WTP_Safety_Guidelines/Label%20EpaML%20748-296%20Zappit%2073%20Service%20Bulletin%20approved% 2002-14-2014.pdf

Zappit 73
EPA Reg. No. 748-296
FOOD CONTACT-SANITIZATION - SANITIZATION OF NONPOROUS FOOD CONTACT
SURFACES continued
SPRAY/FOG METHOD
Preclean all surfaces after use. Use a 200 ppm available chlorine solution to control bacteria, mold or fungi
and a 600 ppm solution to control bacteriophage. Prepare a 200 ppm sanitizing solution of sufficient size by
thoroughly mixing the product in a ratio of 1 ounce product with 20 gallons of water. Prepare a 600 ppm
solution by thoroughly mixing the product in a ratio of 3ounces product with 20 gallons of water. Use spray or
fogging equipment which can resist hypochlorite solutions. Always empty and rinse spray/fog equipment with
potable water after use. Thoroughly spray or fog all surfaces until wet, allowing excess sanitizer to drain.
Vacate area for at least 2 hours. Prior to using equipment, rinse all surfaces treated with a 600 ppm solution
with a 200 ppm solution.
__________________________________________________ __________________________________
Zappit 73
EPA Reg. No. 748-296
FOOD CONTACT-SANITIZATION - SANITIZATION OF POROUS FOOD CONTACT
SURFACES
It is a violation of Federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling.
RINSE METHOD - Prepare a 600 ppm solution by thoroughly mixing 3 ounces of this product with 20 gallons
of water. Clean surfaces in the normal manner. Rinse all surfaces thoroughly with the 600 ppm solution,
maintaining contact for at least 2 minutes. Prepare a 200 ppm sanitizing solution by thoroughly mixing 1
ounce of this product with 20 gallons of water. Prior to using equipment, rinse all surfaces with a 200 ppm
available chlorine solution. Do not rinse and do not soak equipment overnight.
IMMERSION METHOD - Prepare a 600 ppm solution by thoroughly mixing, in an immersion tank, 3 ounces of
this product with 20 gallons of water. Clean equipment in the normal manner. Prepare a 200 ppm sanitizing
solution by thoroughly mixing 2 ounces of this product with 10 gallons of water. Prior to using, immerse
equipment in the 200 ppm sanitizing solution for at least 2 minutes and allow the sanitizer to drain. Do not
rinse and do not soak equipment overnight.
SPRAY/FOG METHOD - Preclean all surfaces after use. Prepare a 600 ppm available chlorine sanitizing
solution of sufficient size by thoroughly mixing the product in a ratio of 3 ounces product with 20 gallons of
water. Use spray or fogging equipment which can resist hypochlorite solutions. Always empty and rinse
spray/fog equipment with potable water after use. Thoroughly spray or fog all surfaces until wet, allowing
excess sanitizer to drain. Vacate area for at least 2 hours. Prior to using equipment, rinse all surfaces with a
200 ppm available chlorine solution. Prepare a 200 ppm sanitizing solution by thoroughly mixing 0.7 ounce of
this product with 20 gallons of water.

[buckeye gold]

Thanks Dr Tim. That will help a lot of us. I feel better now after checking mine and seeing it is ok. I wasn't sure after reading the post. I just bought this last year, I had bought some for a domestic potable water system then bought this pool stuff and never even thought about not all chlorines are the same.

[skinny78]

We have been using 3/16" tubing for 3 years now and have not noticed any plugging or build up in the tubing. We take the tubing down ever year and flush with a water and compressed air mix before storing indoors in a dark room. No mold so far. Will cleaning our tubing with sanitizing chemicals make a noticeable difference?

[DrTimPerkins]

We have been using 3/16" tubing for 3 years now and have not noticed any plugging or build up in the tubing. We take the tubing down ever year and flush with a water and compressed air mix before storing indoors in a dark room. No mold so far. Will cleaning our tubing with sanitizing chemicals make a noticeable difference?

3 years is about the time that clogging starts to be a problem. By bringing it in, flushing, and blowing/storing dry you've probably delayed the problem to a large degree. If you're taking it in each year, you might try flushing with a 400ppm chlorine solution (fresh, diluted standard bleach...the cheap stuff with no additives/brighteners/scents), then rinsing with water before blowing out and storing dry. This process will eliminate or reduce clogging and sanitiation-related taphole drying to a substantial degree.

I should also note that it is primarily the SPOUT and DROPLINE that are important in sanitation of maple tubing https://mapleresearch.org/pub/m1010sapyieldsagingtubing/ . Lateral lines are far less important but there can be an issue with clogging at unions in 3/16" tubing https://mapleresearch.org/pub/1219tubing-2/

[Openwater]

you might try flushing with a 400ppm chlorine solution (fresh, diluted standard bleach...
Dr Tim, is this the same concentration that would be used to sanitize drops/laterals with Calcium Hypochlorite? That would be a 0.04% solution, correct?

[DrTimPerkins]

Yes, but the chlorine concentration can vary among different products, so I can't globally tell you what the dilution ratio would be. Depends upon the product you're using.

[ebliese]

I don't mean to hijack this thread, though my question is related to sanitation with calcium hypochlorite. Regarding using approved calcium hypochlorite for food contact-sanitation, what if you are simply using the chemical itself, Ca(OCl)2...like what a chemist would use in a lab, not a product with calcium hypochlorite in is (like Zappit or other pool sanitizers)? That is what we use. My wife does all the mixing of the chemicals. Her chemistry degree really comes in handy!

[buckeye gold]

here's a formula for making up sanitizing solution

gals of water x .0038 x desired ppm / active ingredient % (decimal) = total grams of product (calcium hypochloride powder) needed in water

example - 20 gals water, 400ppm desired level, zappit 70% active ingredient

20x.0038x400/.70= 43.42 grams of zappit dissolved in the water

convert to ounces 43.42/28.35 = 1.53 ounces of zappit in 20 gal of water