Guage for sap tanks in the bush

[Brent]

I picked up 3 stainless tanks this summer to put in the bush and mount a releaser on top of each.

I want some means of seeing who much sap is in each tank.
I don't particularly like the idea of a sight tube up the side like we have on the evaporator, because it will be a bugger to clean in the bush. The tops will be about 6' and they are 4' in diameter with about a 16 inch hole in the top.

I'm thinking a float with a stick going through the top.
Any suggestions ??

[Haynes Forest Products]

Do the stick and float thing and get a section of perforated drain pipe from HD its the white PVC. Get a cap that fits it and drill a hole in it so the stick can slide up and down so it stays stright.

[Dennis H.]

If you go with Haynes idea and make the holes a little bigger and paint the stick inside a bright color that you can see thru the holes you would be able to see it from a distance I would think.

[3rdgen.maple]

My sight guage on my holding tank is clear pvc 3/8 hose and I got a orange ball floating in it. I clean it like twice during the season. All I do is use a gun cleaning rod tip I threaded on the end of a long metal rod. I stick a cotton ball in the cleaning tip and stick it down the hose and that is it. Takes longer to put the cotton ball in the tip then it does to clean it out.

[Dennis H.]

Good idea 3rdgen, I like it.
You could even put a small piece of scotchbrite pad on it to give it real good cleaning.

If you could find some large clear PVC pipe you could use the same idea but with a bright colored ping pong ball.

[Amber Gold]

I just take a grade stick with markings every 1". I stick it in the tank and get a depth reading and I then reference a chart I made which gives me the volume of sap per 1 inch of depth. Simple, effective.