Sap tank shape?

[PoorFarmFarmer]

Anybody have some wise words about what shape sap tank to use for on a landscape trailer? The trailer is 5x8 so I was thinking the truck bed style tanks would be best because they are low for easy filling with buckets? Any thoughts?

[smitty76]

there are alot of options, do what works and makes sense to you. I would agree that a truck bed style tank would be nicely low to pour buckets in and would keep center of gravity low which makes it harder to tip over. I think you are right on.


good luck and have fun

Smitty76

[Haynes Forest Products]

Try and get a tank that drains from the bottom. Some have a sump well so all the sap 99% will drain. What ends up happening is you leave 10 gallons that sits in the tank until the next run and it can get stinky. I have a bottom drain and put the tank up on a pallet to allow for the 90 fitting and hose.

[Smitty]

PoorFarmFarmer,
Just a thought,
any tank that is in your budget is a good tank, but a few things to consider.
make sure the opening in the top is big enough you can get in to clean it.
I believe the truck tank you are looking at is what they consider a vertical
tank, (flat bottom, silo type tank) very difficult to get every last drop out,
which makes it very difficult to clean (i learned the hard way). a horizonal
tank, (round bottom, flat sides tank) is much easier to clean and maintain.
The poly horizonal tanks come with base legs molded rite in them, just
throw a couple straps over it, all set. You might want to build a step our
two to get the buckets to the fill spout.


good luck, i hope this helps:D
Al Smith

[ryan marquette]

I agree on the pick-up tanks. I have one & I can't get it empty & its hard to clean, but they're cheap & you can get them at any farm supply store. How well do the other style poly tanks drain?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

If you park the trailer a little off level, the sap will end up is one small area on the low side. With a 1" pump hose, I use a Rainbow Vacuum cleaner crevice tool on the end of the hose with a small piece of metal screen that makes a little bag to cover up the end. It fits nicely over the end of the 1" hose and slides up on it a few inches a little electrical tape or something similar will secure it tightly. This crevice tool is designed better than any I have seen and has a nice cutout in the center so it doesn't loose flow and is basically impossible to break. Should be able to pick up a brand new one at a local dealer and it would suck the tank down to less than a quart.

[Sugarmaker]

I like the idea of a big opening for dumping and cleaning. I bought as 325 gal. poly leg tank for the pick up. not cheap but works very well. ( we dont dump into this but on a low trailer it might work real well to dump into with some type of ice and bug screen on the opening.
It does not drain well :( and needs to be lifted to get all but a gallon or so to drain. It really needs a small drain added to the bottom.

Chris