Any suggestions for an inexpensive sap collector tank at the end of a line?

[Swingpure]

Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions for an inexpensive sap collector tank at the end of a line?I know I can buy 30 gallon tanks for $150, but looking for something of similar capacity that could be repurposed to do the job at a lower cost.

Thanks

[SeanD]

The go-to for most hobbyists is a 55 gallon barrel ($20-$25?) that was once used for a food item. That way you know the barrel is food safe and can be used for sap. If it held something else or if you are not 100% sure what it held, you have a very real risk of adding something dangerous to your sap and syrup - no matter how well you clean it out. Usually the food safe barrels will still have the label on the side and residue of whatever the food was. I have a bunch that held safflower oil. The other thing to consider with these barrels is how easy it will be to clean out. There are tons of threads on here about people's experiences with cleaning drums. Surprisingly, the oil in my drums wasn't the worst to clean out. Some other items I've heard - not so much.

[aamyotte]

I use a 55 gallon barrel for holding my sap. I have the type with the steel ring so I can take the top off. Makes it easier to dump my pail in it and to clean out at the end of the season.

[Pdiamond]

In a pinch I've used brand new round plastic drums from TSC they come with lids.

[darkmachine]

We used steel 55 gallon barrels that held apple juice. They were cheap, but don't last forever. Once the coating starts to go, we retired them. We are in an area that processes lots of apple products so that's what's available here. Any food production facility would probably have similar containers for Ingredients..

[buckeye gold]

I started out with used 55 gallon barrels that had held wine. They worked well but were harder to clean. I just bought another one every other year. Then my source dried up and I bit the bullet and bought regular water tanks/food grade. I have had these tanks for 5 years now and they clean easier and are in very good shape. I don't know the life of them, but I bet with good care you can get 10-15 years or more out of them. In hind sight I wish I had just bit the bullet earlier and bought the right tanks. In the long run they work better and take less effort to care for. I think your only making life harder trying to stay on the cheap side. If your patient you can find used tanks at very reasonable prices. I bought my two biggest (275 and 100 gallons) for less than half new price. They both were only used for drinking water.

[Swingpure]

Looks like I will be picking up four barrels last containing olives, that the seller said other people have used that type of barrel for sap. I will research how best to clean them. At $35 a barrel I can always use them for something else if it is too difficult to get the olive smell/taste out.

I am still considering buying new ones if these do not work out.


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[t-ciccarello]

I've used a blue 30 gallon plastic drum, someone local has a supplier from the pharma industry. What I do is get a box of FDA approved plastic drum liners and use that to prevent any off flavors from leaching from the barrel into the sap

[Swingpure]

Picked the four barrels today. (Still have to get them home safely). The guy had washed them out well and there was no smell. I will be doing more to clean them out and they will be ready for sap season.

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[Swingpure]

I cleaned the four barrels today, with one step left to go. Today I used my power washer and cleaned the insides, They were not bad, but I repeated power washing and draining the water until,the water was clear in colour. I then partially refilled the barrels, added dish soap, used the power washer to get it to a thick foam. I closed the lid and rolled it around the yard for a while, swishing the top and bottom. I then power washed inside the barrel with the soapy water in it. I drained it and then repeated power washing snd draining it, until there was not the slightest hint of soap. I partially refilled it again, added a slug of bleach, rolled it around the yard again, then power washed it and drained it until there was no chlorine smell.

I got my brother to look into them and smell them, not knowing what I had done to clean them. He has a nose like a blood hound, but he could not smell anything in the barrel and could not see anything but a perfectly cleaned barrel.

Having read another post on cleaning an olive barrel, on Wednesday I will pick up some Powered Brewery Wash. Not positive I need it, but it does not hurt to be extra sure the barrels are 100% clean.

I have ordered one rain barrel valve and will see how well it attaches and holds the liquid. If it works well, I will get three more. The plan is to have two barrels for sap storage when the sap is really flowing and I will use the other two at the end of lines.