Another PONY Q!

[lowviz]

Pony is air. You don't decompress on a pony, you save your ass with one. Your pony is the very last horse out of Dodge.

You only get to put 3K psi in it so get a big HP tank full of air and a transfer whip. Keep your little pony topped off. Amazing how fast it drops just by charging and discharging after the dive...

 

[scubadada]

I leave my pony on, the gauge is right in front of me, as is the 2nd.

 

[uncfnp]

When I whip it, its filled with whatever gas I have in my tank at that time and I always dive some percent nitrox.

In the rare instances a dive op fills it I just get air. Doesn't matter as long as I know what’s in it.

 

[tursiops]

..The divers are mostly on O2, i

???

 

[lowviz]

When I whip it, its filled with whatever gas I have in my tank at that time and I always dive some percent nitrox.

Well, that is indeed how I do it IRL too. Do you analyze your pony?

I don't either. I just treat it as my 'when all else fails' last-resort gas.

 

[uncfnp]

Well, that is indeed how I do it IRL too. Do you analyze your pony?

I don't either. I just treat it as my 'when all else fails' last-resort gas.

Rarely. I might if I was truly uncertain of the mix. If I am on a pony I am just happy to have enough gas to head for the surface.

 

[lowviz]

If I am on a pony I am just happy to have enough gas to head for the surface.

Amen. And IMHO that is the best answer for the OP's question.

Best mix? ANYTHING. Air is fine, whipped slop gas is not only just as fine but saves money. This is Basic Scuba Discussions so how long is anyone planning to take on the way to the surface in an emergency?

I'd breathe pure O2 at 130' if my only other choice was sucking seawater...

 

[hroark2112]

If I were OOA at 130' and all I had was a bottle of 100%, you're damn right I'm taking a breath. I'm not worried about toxing on 1 breath, and I guarantee I'll be heading to the surface pretty damn quick!!

That being said, any pony I've ever carried had air in it.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

If I were OOA at 130' and all I had was a bottle of 100%, you're damn right I'm taking a breath. I'm not worried about toxing on 1 breath, and I guarantee I'll be heading to the surface pretty damn quick!!

That being said, any pony I've ever carried had air in it.

If I were you, I'd qualify that by saying that I have had a chamber oxygen toxicity test, and I'm not prone to O2 toxicity so I would use the oxygen at a depth of 130 feet. Oh, you may not have had the chamber test; in that case, you're best off simply doing an emergency swimming ascent. You have enough air in your lungs and Scuba tank to take you all the way to the surface. And remember, we're in a "Basic Scuba" area, and are not doing overhead hazard diving or decompression diving.

SeaRat

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Amen. And IMHO that is the best answer for the OP's question.

Best mix? ANYTHING. Air is fine, whipped slop gas is not only just as fine but saves money. This is Basic Scuba Discussions so how long is anyone planning to take on the way to the surface in an emergency?

I'd breathe pure O2 at 130' if my only other choice was sucking seawater...

It's not your only choice; you can make an emergency swimming ascent from 130 feet and be blowing out air during the last fifty feet of ascent. That's basic physics, and used to be taught in basic Scuba courses. You know:

P1V1/T1 = P2V2/T2

SeaRat