How many tanks do I really need?

[Jay Adams]

I have 7 tanks... 2 are nitrox. I too believe that they multiply when left alone. I no longer pay for my fills, part of the rescue diver thing here. I pay for nitrox fills though. I am thinking of aquiring more of those. in the steel variety.

 

[Jay Adams]

So, now that friends, family and other acquaintances have found out I'm diving they've been sending/offering me their old gear.
I must say I've scored some nice stuff and have 3 complete set ups including BCD, Weights, Regulators and two tanks for each.

And that is where this post is centered, I now have 7 tanks but I'm feeling like I'm addicted and want more, LOL! Before we get sidetracked, I've only accepted steel and AL6061 tanks.

Seriously though how many tanks should I keep in service?

One thing to consider is that my closest LDS is a half hour away from my home but is a couple hours away from most of the places I'd like to go dive.

To spend a weekend at my favorite lake and do a couple of dives each day I'm there it seems like 4 tanks would make sense. However, the old safety-officer in me keep screaming for double redundancy so 8 comes to mind.

Anyhow, any thoughts on a good rule of thumb on how many I should keep in the rotation?

Thanks!

where in vermont are you rick? I am on the border in charlestown

 

[girlwithbigtanks]

I have 19. That’s ok. I need 4 more. Spread them around your garage and hope your spouse can’t count.

 

[Jay Adams]

I have 19. That’s ok. I need 4 more. Spread them around your garage and hope your spouse can’t count.

convince your spouse to dive. problem solved

 

[girlwithbigtanks]

convince your spouse to dive. problem solved

At this point that’s a hard no lmao. He had his chance when i passed my ie 23 years ago!

 

[Tracy]

One can never have too many tanks.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

The next time my wife complains about how many tanks I have, carefully selected excerpts of this thread showing how many tanks other divers have will be printed out and set next to her breakfast plate.

Just tell her let’s go take a look in your closet and see how many pairs of shoes you have!

 

[crzyfish]

I try to have at least 3 of each size tanks (2 day/1 night dive). I'm currently hoarding over 24 tanks.
Steel: LP72, LP76, LP85, LP95, HP100, HP130
AL: AL80, AL19/17/6/3 for use as ponies.

You need to keep some pony/stage bottles in your collection.

 

[tbone1004]

Sounds like you’re definitely missing a couple sets of 104s

104's less than 10% more gas than HP120's *they're 130cf ish when cave filled* so if the 104's are a bit overkill, the HP120's are much preferred. The 104's are also too short for me, so the LP120's net me 15% more gas than a 104 but more importantly allow me to sit comfortably and not strain my back when I stand up from a bench since I'm not turtling backwards.

 

[flymolo]

And here I was thinking there’s no more perfect set of doubles than pst104s