aquarium dive wet suit recommendation

[Candiru]

I'm planning on doing 2 dives at the mall of america next month. The temps are 68 in the freshwater tank and 70 in the salt water. I was debating between my 3 mil with a hooded vest or a 7 mil. My buddies only have 3 mils with hooded vests. Is this doable?

 

[spectrum]

For 1 dive in 68/70 I'd probably go with the 3mm & hooded vest. One may be a little cool, the other noticeably warm, take your pick.

Do they let you bring your own neoprene in from the outside?

Pete

 

[boulderjohn]

Do they let you being your own neoprene in from the outside?

I know at least some aquariums require you to use the gear they provide--that way they can be sure you aren't bringing any fatal cooties into the pool. You may want to check.

 

[wjeiii]

When I did it I used a 3mm but I don't get cold easy.

 

[Insta-Gator]

The Atlanta aquarium requires you use their gear to prevent infestation from anything your gear may have picked up along the way. Check with your aquarium to be sure.

 

[buddhasummer]

I've dove in two Aquariums, one in NZ and one in Australia both required me to wear their wetsuits to prevent contamination, as others have said you might want to check this out.

 

[Candiru]

Yeah...Minneapolis doesn't have too many salt water bodies near it so Im guessing that this is the reason why you bring your own wet suit. Also Its interesting that they make you do the freshwater tank first which would explode any saltwater parasite prior to the salt tank. Oddly they specifically say that you can't bring a dry suit.

Bottom line it looks like people are recommending the 3 mil with a hooded vest over the 7 mil?

 

[Wolfie]

You are expected to bring a wet suit yet are excluded from bringing a dry suit? This is just confusing. Seems they would love a drysuit so you couldn't leave something else behind?

 

[claymore]

If you are not a freeze baby the 3 mil with vest will be fine. The dives are not real long and have an intervale between. As far as the dry suit goes they want you way over weighted to keep you on the bottom in the shark tank. I have done the dives and know several DM's who work there.

I much preferred the fresh water tank dive, you were not herded into a corner and have to stay there in the salt water dive.

 

[g1138]

If you're sitting in one place siphoning, you're going to be a shivering a bit by the end of the 1st hour dive. Go with the 7mil, no hood, gloves optional. If you're not going to be working and just doing a guest experience dive, you'll probably be in short enough to be comfortable in the 3mm w/ hooded vest.

Some aquariums require you to use their equipment. Scuba gear for liability reasons and contamination, exposure protection for the latter reason.
Open circuit Aquariums often don't need to worry about contamination as they are constantly pumping water from the ocean. Close circuits however do have to worry about that issue.