# Maxant Bottling Tank



## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

Is it welded from the inside or the outside? Keep in mind that cancer patients are bombarded with the most toxic chemicals you could think of. Bleach would be a cheap oxidizer for sanitizing the tank but you could purchase a common sanitizer used for brewing and wine making.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Be careful about using bleach on stainless steel as bleach can result in corrosion of stainless steel. More here: 
http://www.cemag.us/articles/2014/0...l-surfaces-being-corroded-repeated-bleach-use


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

Just as a foot note, bleach turns to salt water as it degrades. In the grand scheme of things the residuals would be miniscule.


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## woodedareas (Sep 10, 2010)

I really don't know what other beekeepers do about their bottling tanks if anything. I have also been concerned that by maintaining a low temperature (under 100 degrees) in the tanks, other bacteria may be forming. I really didn't think about this until I started to clean the tanks at the end of the year.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

woodedareas said:


> I have also been concerned that by maintaining a low temperature (under 100 degrees) in the tanks, other bacteria may be forming.


Assuming that the tank is full of honey and not water bacteria will not grow in the tank. The corrosive action of the honey in the tank would be far more sever than a two minute bleach sanitizing wash. You didn't answer my question about weld being on the inside or outside of the tank. I would prefer that the weld was on the inside but it is much harder to do so they could have chose to weld from the outside. If this is the case do not put anything other than honey in the tank.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

_Maxant_ recommends plain old hot water and dish detergent ..... 

http://www.beesource.com/forums/sho...ractor&p=638114&highlight=cleaning#post638114


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

I've got a couple of those myself. All I use for cleaning is soap and water. The weld edges are insignificant from a sanitation point. They're the same SS welded edges that are in radial extractors. You could pour some boiling hot water in there to kill anything if you've just got to do something more than soap. Or, put water in there and turn it up to max heat. It'll kill anything in there too.


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## ilikebs (Jan 3, 2013)

A cap full of bleach into one gallon of hot water is what we use on our bottling equipment. We use this on all of our harvesting equipment at the end and beginning of each harvest. Wash and rinse and we have had no corrosion problems. That is what all fast food and other food prep places do.


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## kaizen (Mar 20, 2015)

I agree soap and water is best. If you are losing sleep over it i'd recommend starsan. its a sanitizer used on beer bottles and food equipment. not sure what is in it but you can rinse something with it and then eat off it according to manufacturer. no rinse needed.


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## beegeorge (Apr 19, 2012)

I know this may sound stupid.. but why not just call Maxant and see what they recommend??


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## ilikebs (Jan 3, 2013)

Hot water and soap is for appearance. Hot tap water and soap remove the particles but not all of the bacteria. Its like washing your home dishes, more for looks than function. That's why all food servers have to have 180-200 deg water in their dishwasher along with bacteria killing soap. Every restaurant out there should wipe tables, stainless counters... with bleach water or a bacteria killing agent( usually containing bleach). Your local health inspector can give you good info if you feel comfortable getting them involved.


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

Rader made exact reference to this with his link. I'll pull the quote even further.

Jake from Maxant wrote "I would not advise using a pressure washer. Hot water and dish detergent would be the preferred method. 
If you have sections of rust, and this is a true 100% stainless, I would grab a maroon scotch brite pad and hit those sections. Always go with the direction of the grain when you rub the pad so you done mar up the SS."


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

What is this bacteria that can live in honey anyway? Starsan or Idophor are both no rinse sanitizers that could be used then rinse before use.


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## mgstei1 (Jan 11, 2014)

Run a torch around that weld and dump the honey in after it cools.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

Vance G said:


> What is this bacteria that can live in honey anyway?


The bacteria would grow when the honey is not in the tank but it would require some moisture. The sanitizers I believe work because of hydrogen perozide and get consumed by any carbon based debris left behind. Typically a stainless weld will rust if it is not passivated. I would not worry about this because the first time you use it the acid in the honey will corrode any microscopic free iron particles away. Getting back to whether the weld is on the outside or the inside I would not use a scotch brite or steel wool pad ever to clean the tank if the weld is on the outside and not the inside. Strands or fibers could get stuck in the seam.


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## whiskers (Aug 28, 2011)

You can reassure yourself as to the existence of a crevice with a dye check kit that you would obtain from your local welding supply. It is possible to put in the root pass from outside and not leave a crack on the inside but most of the welders that good are making the big bucks up in the oil patch. Sanitising with flame as suggested in #15 is a good idea, you only have to heat enough to dry the area, the free radicals in the flame do the work, not the heat.
Bill


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

If I were concerned and it was for personal use, I'd just use some alcohol...it would largely displace any moisture and evaporate completely.

If I were concerned about a unit beong used for commercial purposes, I'd take great photos of my concern and contact the manufacturer as a first step. Maxant does and has done excellent work for years and years, I would start by contacting them....if there is a problem (which is by no means clear to me), I expect they would be the best source of advice.


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## J.Walters (Sep 24, 2015)

I use SO2 - Sulfur dioxide - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfur_dioxide look at the winery section. You can buy it on amazon or any place that sells wine/beer supplies.

A capful of SO2 to a squirt bottle of water... it will sanitize and breaks down easily. We use it at Stoney Ridge Winery to sanitize the bottles, barrels, and stainless steel tanks. I also use it at home to keep my honey buckets clean while in storage (dry), maple syrup buckets clean while in storage (dry), and spray down anything I want to keep clean and sterile.


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