The bottoms of my stringers are resting directly on concrete. How can I maintain some sort of dry spacing so they don't rot out like the old ones did?
If the stringers aren't pressure treated, put a piece of asphalt shingle between them and the concrete. Concrete and wood don't react well together in a damp environment, as you've seen. This should keep the wood dry. You should be able to find discarded pieces of shingle at a local construction site.