Can anything be done to lessen air consumption for a beginner scuba diver?

[Texasguy]

Well, I go through a tank about 50psi/min at 15-20 feet.

Any advice on how I can work to lower the consumption? How to breath properly.

If I will try to hold the breath a tad longer than it feels natural to breath, will I be building excess of CO2 in my body?

 

[tracydr]

Well, I go through a tank about 50psi/min at 15-20 feet.

Any advice on how I can work to lower the consumption? How to breath properly.

If I will try to hold the breath a tad longer than it feels natural to breath, will I be building excess of CO2 in my body?

Holding your breath longer than natural is skip breathing. Not considered safe.
is your weighting correct? How about bouyancy and trim? Dragging loose dangles around?
Ask somebody to videotape you. Are you kicking like you're riding a bicycle?
What about weight,fitness,health?
Finally, do you know how to breathe? Many people really don't. They "sip" with their shoulder muscles and retain CO2, then get short of breath and start breathing too fast. Try some yoga classes. ( I know, uncool, but they really do work)
I used 200 psi in 30 minutes the other day at the bottom of my pool, on an AL63 tank, working on some propulsion techniques, hovering and mask drills.

 

[elan]

Yes, something can be done, - dive! dive and dive again...

 

[ADeadlierSnake]

Moving less, removing any unnecessary "danglies", and taking some time to get into proper trim will work wonders. I would recommend just going out with a buddy and practicing hanging at 20 or 30 feet. Just hang there until you feel completely relaxed. Then you will know what relaxation underwater feels like, and you can start trying to achieve it while doing everything else.
Relaxation underwater takes a lot of time to obtain and master though, so all you can do is dive, and keep trying. But dont let that take away from the focus of having fun!

 

[nimoh]

I commonly DM for classes certifying new students, and after certification, a lot of them join the local diving club and I dive with them more. So, I think I have a fairly unique perspective being around new divers "maturing".

Recently, I was having a discussion with a fellow divemaster, and we both agreed that new divers with high consumption rates, seem to get better with every dive, but then right around 50 dives, something magical happens and there is a significant drop in consumption rate.

My best advice, is to not worry about it, and to not try to do anything about it. Plan your dives accordingly, and see what happens when you get to 50 dives.

 

[eelnoraa]

Well, I go through a tank about 50psi/min at 15-20 feet.

Any advice on how I can work to lower the consumption? How to breath properly.

If I will try to hold the breath a tad longer than it feels natural to breath, will I be building excess of CO2 in my body?

What tank? 50psi for LP80 is 1.5cf, but only 1.15cf for HP80, big differences. Anyway, the only way to improve is to dive more.

 

[Texasguy]

What is proper trim and how do you achieve it? I have a Oceanic Biolite BCD, it has side weights pockets and near a tank. How would I test/check if the trim is proper?

 

[ianr33]

Have you considered using nitrox?

 

[Texasguy]

Have you considered using nitrox?

Hard to find and expensive near me. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/428281-nitrox-warning-beginner-divers.html

 

[nimoh]

Have you considered using nitrox?

how does that reduce air consumption, other than he wouldn't be breathing air?