Apollo Bio Filter

[kilroy238]

If you're still only training (and if you don't own a lot of your gear yet), I can think of a million things that the cost of a bio filter can buy instead. To each his own, but you may want to dive for a while, and then judge if it's necessary for you.

I also agree with Boogie. Dive in cold water with one of those things (not sure if you will be) and oops! regulator popsicle.

At this point I don't plan on doing any cold water the set up I have gotten is pretty much warm water. As for other stuff to buy there really isn't I got a whole rig right down to my dive luggage. I'll finish up training a few weeks then a month of practice in the pool.

Then a week on one of Blackbeards Cruise's liveaboards then six weeks diving the philippines.


then I have to come home and find a job.

 

[Sideband]

How is a wet sponge a "Bio-filter"?

Joe

 

[scubatoys]

How is a wet sponge a "Bio-filter"?

Joe

How is wrapping a hose around your neck "Doing it right?" It's all just a name... and the bio-filter does have a charcoal filter along with the moisture wick. So maybe we can say that because the air coming from a tank is approx .1% humidity, and your lungs have to humidify that air to 100%, thus causing dehydration problems leading to not only dry mouth... but perhaps more importantly, DCS, we will call the moisturizing aspects of the product "Bio" as in helping with the bodies biological processes... and the charcoal filter will be the filter part...

Or you can just assume that because their fins came on to the market and rated #1 year after year... they wanted to ride the name... either way, they still work great.

 

[murphdivers286]

Sounds very interesting. I had thought about getting one, but thought it was only another gadget some company was trying to sell me. I guess I will have to take another look....

 

[Hoosier]

So, Larry, how often does it require replacing the filters, wick and charcoal filter?

Does this come with 10% board member discount?

How is wrapping a hose around your neck "Doing it right?" It's all just a name... and the bio-filter does have a charcoal filter along with the moisture wick. So maybe we can say that because the air coming from a tank is approx .1% humidity, and your lungs have to humidify that air to 100%, thus causing dehydration problems leading to not only dry mouth... but perhaps more importantly, DCS, we will call the moisturizing aspects of the product "Bio" as in helping with the bodies biological processes... and the charcoal filter will be the filter part...

Or you can just assume that because their fins came on to the market and rated #1 year after year... they wanted to ride the name... either way, they still work great.

 

[ksw]

Greetings,

Just wondering has anyone had any experience with the Apollo Bio Filter? It seems like a good idea but I am concerned with mold.

TIA

I've been diving with a bio filter for years. I would never dive without it. Works absolutely wonderfully! Despite other comment regarding size, as the old tale goes - size doesn't matter, it's what you do with it . Totally ends dry cotton mouth. Just soak in a small water tight container prior to dive, add in during gear set-up and away you go. Between dives add a little extra water. Never leave home without it!

 

[localdivah]

I've read with interest about the Apollo bio-filters and am interested in getting one.

1. I do dive cold water, up here in the Northeast, at potentially temperatures down to 40 degrees. Larry of ScubaToys mentioned that these have been tested "conservatively" to go down to 42 degrees. Has anyone experienced any problems around that range?

2. My primary purpose is to prevent the headaches I get and absolute fatigue after doing repetitive dives (2+). I don't have a problem with dry mouth. Larry, and other users of this -- did you notice a difference, such as being the only one awake onboard on the way back to dock? Or, a reduction in the "dehydration" headaches?

3. My other concern is that this would potentially increase the breathing resistance. I dive an Atomic reg and appreciate the ease of breathing -- would hate to compromise that. On the other hand, the unit hooks up to the first stage, not the second, so I would imagine that the pressure is still high enough that the unit would not reduce it significantly. Do you users notice any difference with it on vs. off?

4. No one yet has mentioned any practical effect on gas consumption. Reduction in bottom time might be an indicator of increased resistance, and increase in bottom time might also indicate the benefits of more moist air.

Anyone comment from the voice of experience?

 

[psycopanther]

bringing this thread back alive..... what are the worries about water getting in the second stage and doing some damage.. love the idea, but if it doing harm with water coming in the lines, or second stage internals, i can do without. i dive a titan LX and too poor to wanna mess anything up. no one seems to have been able to answer this yet.

 

[scubatoys]

Second stages get water in them all the time... that's not a problem. You don't want water getting into the HP side of the 1st stage, but I have had zero problems, and when doing a rebuild on my reg, and many others, I have seen no issues from the moisture where it it introduced in the system.

To answer a few other questions that were posed in this thread that I missed... I don't get headaches, but a lot of folks who have gotten them from me have said it instantly cured that... and Joe up here gets really bad heartburn after diving... didn't know what it was, and one day borrowed my gear with the bio filter and bingo... heartburn gone. Now he won't dive without one.

To address performance, the opening down the center of the bio filter tube is the same diameter as your reg hose - so there is no restriction. The air does not have to go through the sponge, it travels down the center of the tube, and some moisture is pulled in as the air passes by some hoses. It does not show any performance drop in my personal use, or on our test bench.

With the charcoal filter in place - it does have the air travel through the filter, and that is reported to cause a slight drop in performance for deep dives - but I don't use the charcoal filter. My goal is the moisture - so I took the charcoal filter out, and just use the sponge.

The only problem with this product, is people think it's a gimmick... and actually, it is the neatest after market product I've found that actually improves your health and comfort during a dive... but you may just have to try one to be a believer... as you see from the thread, everyone who has one loves it....

 

[jfoster33702]

How long does the effect last? It seems so small that you would evaporate the water very quickly.

Jeff