Stainless steel vs. poly storage?
Hi all, it's that amazing time of year where I begin SERIOUSLY planning for the first maple run...we had a terrible season last year but did get caught with our pants down on a big sap run one day and maxed out our storage by like 50%. I've sold some (non-syrup) equipment and have some cash to throw at sap storage and also some new tubing equipment....my question is, will stainless steel be worth the investment if I go that route for sap storage?
I've read that microbial growth is significantly less on stainless but my dollar stretches almost twice as far per gallon with poly / IBC tote storage as it does with stainless steel. I'd thought about maybe just getting a stainless head tank but even that is obscenely expensive (more than my pan!).
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2015: 8 bucket taps (7 red, 1 sugar) on DIY barrel evaporator
2016: 13 taps (bucket and tube) on block arch and hotel pans
2017: SAME
2018: 25 taps on 2x3 flat pan and resurrected barrel arch
2019: 25 taps...same setup plus DIY 3x150gpd RO filter
2020: 50 taps, all buckets..."new" oil tank arch setup
2021: 100 taps (50/50 buckets/3-16 tubing) on 2x4 divided pan
2022: 150 taps (50/100 b/t) on 2x4 pan with sap warmer pan
2023: SAME
2024: 150 taps, added single-post 4x40 RO system