Almost ready to buy 2 Faber galvanized LP 85's - sound right?

[J322Y]

I got certified in July of this year and have completed 27 dives. Why the rush to buy cylinders?

I've only gotten more enthusiastic about diving since I started and it looks like I'm hooked. I live in central Florida 20 minutes from Blue Spring and 45 minutes from Alexander. The problem is that before I drive to the springs I have to travel to rent tanks and this step adds over an hour of driving to each trip, more if I go to the LDS I prefer. The dive shops open at 10am so if I want to go diving early I have to pick up tanks the day before, and I have to return them before they close or pay for another day. I figure that it's worth buying tanks so that I can be ready to go without that extra mileage/time. Also, if I own tanks I can get them filled when I happen to be close to a LDS for whatever reason.

Now for the choice of tanks...

I'm 59, 5'7", thin and wiry 150 pounds, and I seem to be pretty conservative on gas. Last 2 trips to Alexander Spring I stayed down 80 minutes and used 1600 psi of air, and 70 minutes using 1100 psi. During a class at Blue Grotto I did a 27 minute dive down to 97 feet and used 1300 psi of 33%. Looks like I could get 4 decent dives from 2 tanks.

I don't know how I feel about cave diving at this point, but wrecks appeal to me. I wasn't bothered by the almost 100 foot depth at Blue Grotto, and I imagine I'll be fine a bit deeper than that.

I've done a lot of reading, and also questioned various people about tank choice. Still confused, but the consensus is that the LP85's are a decent choice for my situation. Dive Gear Express sells them Nitrox ready with valve and boot for $279 each. Shipped to my house adds $20 per tank, or I can drive 3 hours and pick them up at their store in Fort Lauderdale and go diving in the area.

Does it sound like I'm on the right track?

 

[Lorenzoid]

For diving as a single tank, or do you plan to double them up with a manifold? I dive double LP85s. I'm more or less your height, and my LP85s are a comfortable length. Of course, HP100s are about the same size. As you probably found in your reading, about the only people these days who would prefer an LP85 over an HP100 are people who dive in cave country, where the dive shops are willing to over-fill LP tanks beyond their rated pressure. When I tried to take my LP85s on the road (as in, away from N. Florida), I was confronted with the harsh reality that dive shops generally will refuse to over-fill, and the people with HP100s will have more gas than I will. If you're going to dive wrecks or anywhere else outside of N. Florida, I don't know why you would choose LP85s over HP100s.

 

[rhwestfall]

I prefer steel for weighting, and hot dipped galvanized is the way to go, especially if you might ever dip them in salt water. The LP85 is my "go to" singles tank, about the same height as a awful AL80, and you can (not endorsing) overfill a bit with low overall concern. Twinned up, the make a nice extended dive platform. I like them! Now, mine are XS Scuba/Worthington, so a little different than the now available Faber. I still feel they are a good choice.

YMMV

 

[tursiops]

1) Given that you are thinking wrecks, you probably do NOT want to attempt two dives on one tank.
2) X7-100s will give you more gas that LP85s, unless you can overfill the latter, which is not likely outside of cave country.
3) Two tanks will get you through a 2-dive day, which is typically what you will do with wrecks.

 

[divad]

If they can fill the high pressure tanks...

 

[tursiops]

If they can fill the high pressure tanks...

Even if you only get 3000 psi in the 3442 tank, you're no worse off than with the LP85.

 

[J322Y]

I don't know why you would choose LP85s over HP100s.

I wondered that too, and one person did recommend HP 100's. Maybe the thought was that since I was new I might lose interest and need to sell them, or at least spend less initially if I don't use them often?

Currently I have a back inflate bcd that only accepts a single tank. I won't hesitate to upgrade if I stay interested in diving.

 

[J322Y]

If they can fill the high pressure tanks...

Actually that is what at least one person pointed out.

 

[J322Y]

Even if you only get 3000 psi in the 3442 tank, you're no worse off than with the LP85.

Is that true with 3000 psi for both types or 3000 in the HP and 2640 in the LP?

 

[runsongas]

lp85 if you get the 7 inch faber version has advantages for sidemount over the hp100 if you don't need the extra ballast of the hp100. a consideration just in case that may interest you instead of backmount doubles.