# Straining honey -what size micron do you use?



## SallyD (Mar 12, 2011)

Hi All:
Just curious when you are straining your honey what size micron do you use 600, 400 or 200? Or do you recommend the stainless steel strainer that Brushy Mountain sells? I think it has two strainers together in it. Thanks for your suggestions.


----------



## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

*Re: Straining honey -was size micron do you use?*

This is what I use that works great, it fits on a five gallon bucket....

https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Stain...8-13&keywords=stainless+steel+grease+strainer


----------



## texanbelchers (Aug 4, 2014)

*Re: Straining honey -was size micron do you use?*

I was provided the 600,400,200 set when I first harvested. Didn't know any better, so ran thru then all. I like the clarity of the 200, but cold honey doesn't flow thru it quickly.


----------



## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

*Re: Straining honey -was size micron do you use?*

I use the stainless screens The first is 1/8" mesh, the next is just under the 1/8" 40 mesh Then I let stand for a few days strain through a stainless 20 mesh. Finally I heat the settling tank to around 100F and run through a 200 micron. this is where I bottle it at.


----------



## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

*Re: Straining honey -was size micron do you use?*

None. We let the 2000 lb tank settle over the weekend before draining.

Crazy Roland


----------



## Riverderwent (May 23, 2013)

*Re: Straining honey -was size micron do you use?*

Stainless double sieve strainer or 600 micron nylon strainer.


----------



## justin (Jun 16, 2007)

*Re: Straining honey -was size micron do you use?*

none, i give everything time to float to the top and jar from the bottom


----------



## MichiganMike (Mar 25, 2014)

*Re: Straining honey -was size micron do you use?*

I use a 600.


----------



## drlarrye (Sep 29, 2015)

*Re: Straining honey -was size micron do you use?*

I use a 600 micron......as I understand it, if you filter it finer you might delay crystallization but you also remove some of the "Honey goodness".


----------



## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

*Re: Straining honey -was size micron do you use?*

good morning SallyD! I strain mine through a double sieve strainer as it comes out of the extractor. Mainly to remove bee parts and the occasional beetle. Otherwise...nothing. I let it sit in the bottling tank for a couple of days and everything else floats to the top. I bottle from the bottom.


----------



## Hiwire (Oct 19, 2014)

*Re: Straining honey -was size micron do you use?*

When I started I was straining but quickly realized that was the bottleneck in the operation. 1) its not needed. 2) its extra work, time, mess. 3)It kills your efficiency. After extracting let it settle an hour, skim the top of the bucket, put a lid on the bucket and store it for 6 months. After you rewarm it to bottle skim any foam off the top and put it in your tank. Skim whats in the tank after ever 20 buckets. What I bottle from that system is just as pretty and clear and clean as anything that is strained AND I don't have to worry about trying to make honey go through a strainer or removing pollen. My customers love the concept and appreciate why my product is more natural than what other beekeepers are selling.


----------



## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

*Re: Straining honey -was size micron do you use?*

Here is the set I used last year with no troubles or complaints. I can't remember how many micron they are.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D3YGOWI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## SallyD (Mar 12, 2011)

*Re: Straining honey -was size micron do you use?*

Thank you all for your input!! Ray I am going to order that strainer...thank you for the link!


----------



## LeifLiberty (Sep 23, 2014)

*Re: Straining honey -was size micron do you use?*

If I use 400 or 200 micron, will that remove the pollen from the honey and make it less useful for people who buy the honey for allergies?


----------



## orthoman (Feb 23, 2013)

*Re: Straining honey -was size micron do you use?*

First through cheese cloth and then 400 micron -- and the 400 micron will plug with wax residue that makes it through the cheese cloth so I have a couple of them to switch out as needed. Then let is set over night before bottling. 

The 200 Microns is too small and plugs up too easy.


----------



## appalachianoutdoors (May 16, 2015)

*Re: Straining honey -was size micron do you use?*

I put a 400 micron in my bucket, then the double metal screen over that. All of my buckets have gates to bottle from and I have a 300lb bottling tank if I need more storage.


----------



## Bkwoodsbees (Feb 8, 2014)

*Re: Straining honey -was size micron do you use?*

400 micron strainer as it comes out of extractor.


----------



## dtrooster (Apr 4, 2016)

Whatever microns a 5 gal paint sack is


----------



## My-smokepole (Apr 14, 2008)

Plus one on the five gallon bucket. Plus time and bottom pour after 24+ hours


----------



## shinbone (Jul 5, 2011)

I am another one for the paint strainer.

First, I think what works for people will depend on how much honey they need to process. If you got one or two hives, then speed and efficiency is not much of an issue, if you got 20 hives, then you need a method that works reasonable quick.

I use a nylon mesh paint strainer from Home Depot made for 5 gallon buckets. (Be sure to wash it in warm soapy water to remove the final chemical residue from the manufacturing process before use.) Let the honey flow through the paint strainer until it is so clogged that it goes too slow for you, let it finish draining, then throw the whole mess into a bucket to be melted down later to recover the wax. Then, put the strained honey in a settling tank (I use a 5 gallon bucket with a honey gate), and fill your jars from the bottom. Turns out beautiful and the product retains the natural pollens.

When I first started, I tried to use the 200/400/600 mesh strainer that are sold by many beekeeping suppliers. The first strainer clogged up real quick, couldn't hold much honey, and was a bugger to clean for reuse. The nylon mesh paint strainer will clog just as quick, but can hold so much more honey that you can fill it up and let it sit for day while it does it thing. Plus, the paint strainers are cheap, so you can have multiple strainers going at once.

I have processed upwards of 700 lbs of honey this way with three strainers going at once. If I were to do much more, I would be looking for something faster.


----------

