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This is entirely true. I've seen people condemn tanks when they shouldn't, but I've also had my own tanks pass without some very serious issues being checked. The scuba industry may not conform to a good standard of visual inspections, but you always have the choice of who you take your...

I've got a Scrambler XT, and have tried out my friends' Scupper Pro and normal Scrambler. IMO, the pros and cons of each: Scupper Pro - Really good kayak and easy to paddle. Not the most stable kayak in the world, though - you'll almost certainly tip it a few times while trying to change...

This is easy - just dive your normal gear a few times, and try leaving your BC deflated for a whole dive. If you're too heavy, take some weight off. This is something I think more divers ought to do, even if they don't plan to dive without a BC. It really helps cure the overweighting habit.

Nice read on this old thread :) My 2c on the subject - apologies for reviving it if it was considered dead: Diving without BCs is very common here among local divers. Although recreational divers and those in the tourist business tend to use standard BC setups, most everyone else who dives...

I recently picked up a bunch of older tanks from a local diver who was cleaning out his garage. Included in the lot were some really nice 72s, but I've also ended up with a few oddities that I don't plan on ever using. So, I'm curious as to whether or not people might interested in these...

Compressed gas is considered a hazardous material, which is why the DOT regulates its transport. I don't think hazmat regulations are limited to commercial transport; they're in place to protect the general public and not just the occupants of the vehicle. There are various other rules...

You are right! (sort of). DOT regulations cover stuff that's being transported on public roads. Therefore, if you have a tank that's being filled and used on your own private property and never needs to travel by vehicle on a road, then it doesn't (legally) need to get tested or require a DOT...

Why not dive 'em? Old aluminum tanks are perfectly good, provided you get good inspections done every year. I have three tanks from 1981 and earlier, and all of them work just as well as new tanks. Older aluminum tanks can have cracking problems, but it's pretty uncommon. If you have a...

Old stickers can hide serious pits and dents - it's necessary to remove them so you can see the whole exterior of the tank (this is common sense). Your dive shop isn't required to do it, but it's still a good idea. There are no real "standards" for visual inspections. Groups like PSI have...

Galapagos can also have a dark tail margin; apparently the only sure way to tell them apart (especially when young) is that Galapagos have a small ridge between the 2nd dorsal fin & tail. Most people don't get close enough to look for this. Sandbars have a very distinctive humped back...

The Cigua-check kits are a ripoff! At $20 per kit for 3 tests, it's cheaper to go to the fish market. I always test my fish for ciguatera by eating them and not getting sick (so far). If/when I catch a monster ulua or barracuda I will probably pick one up, but the chances of catching cigua...

Kaku is the Hawaiian word for barracuda. You can get ciguatera from it, and most other local reef fish (including uku). But ciguatera isn't very common here so there's no sense worrying much about it. People eat hundreds of reef fish every day and there's maybe 3-4 cases per month. I...

The way to get an octopus out of its hole is to poke it repeatedly with your knife (or some other poking device). The octopus will soon get annoyed, grab your arm, and leave the hole. Then you can grab it and dispatch it at your leisure. It works every time and is great not only for catching...

This is/was Luxfer's official stance on the matter. Actually, the text reads something like "the new 6061 alloy is not succeptible to cracks, therefore eddy-current tests aren't necessary and might give false positives". However, it's not really true. 6061 tanks can still get neck cracks...

It's the same in North America - fiber-wrapped tanks have a 15-year service life and must be tested every 3 years. There are plenty of problems that can develop in a cylinder design over time, so it makes sense to review the exemption every once and a while to see that the tanks are still...

Air Liquide and Gaspro both have ZRC products on Oahu.

Capillary depth gauges are super cheap and work well provided you take good care of them. I used to use one - I think it cost me $8 or so and was always very accurate.

It's probably a young pearl oyster - they look exactly like what you've described. We do have several species of scallop, but they're all very small and live in deep water sand patches.

Sherwood valves (older ones included) use the same parts as current Thermo valves, FYI.

I haven't dived with either of those companies, but I know people who work/have worked for both. My 2c: Capt. Bruce's is a great dive op. Ocean Concepts is not a good dive op. I've had awful experiences at their shop, too.