Diving "Conservative" vs Nitrox

[Bigbella]

So is your story about the "Y" and its system the reason it ended its scuba program? According to the analysis of early scuba Marketing in The History of NAUI, the YMCS system was a failure from the start.

That mention of the YMCA was parenthetical at best, and was simply an illustration of how cheap OW courses once were, with kids from most every income and background involved. There were loaners of most everything.

Say what you will, but that YMCA program lasted from 1959 through 2008 -- far longer than many of us will ever be diving -- then later branched off and became SEI. which many of my European friends and family took . . .

 

[scubadada]

When elevated O2 is inhaled, arterial blood becomes saturated with oxygen and there is a drastic increase in tissue pO2

No, review your physiology. The majority of oxygen in blood is carried bound to hemoglobin. At 1 atm and 21% O2, hemoglobin is approximately 97% saturated. Dissolved oxygen contributes very little to oxygen carrying capacity. The additional oxygen from nitrox plays no role

 

[Exxilon]

What say you Scubaboard?

If I understand what you are saying then my answer would be no.

Outside of a technical context, Nitrox is about NDL's. If you fill a bucket to 2/3 full with the tap all the way open or you fill the bucket to 2/3 full with the tap "not quite" all the way open, then the bucket is still 2/3 full.

In the second case that might take longer (longer NDL's) but that's the whole difference, if you ask me.

I know there are people who swear that it makes a big difference but there are also people who swear that certain crystals can affect your health. The evidence is in the science and the science does not support that conclusion as far as I know.

That said, a placebo can be a powerful thing. If you put a crystal in your pocket and it makes you feel better, then you really CAN feel better. Is that a measurable physical phenomenon? Maybe not, but the effect could be real.

This is part of what I think people are talking about when they say Nitrox makes them feel better. The other part is that they might be making profiles in which Nitrox gives them more of a "buffer" (the bucket is less than 2/3 full). That could, indeed, lead to a real physical effect.

That's how I see it.

 

[RobPNW]

Our bodies can only metabolize about 5% of the oxygen we breathe. The other 95% is exhaled. Adding oxygen to the air does not increase the amount we use.

I don’t get this. It seems like the 5% is conditional on the normal air concentration. If the concentration is higher, why do we not absorb at least fractionally more? If we breathe the same volume and absorb LESS nitrogen because it’s at a lower concentration, why do we not absorb more oxygen if it’s at a higher concentration? Why do hospitals administer oxygen therapy to heart attack patients if they don’t absorb more oxygen?

 

[inquis]

The oxygen partial pressure while diving on air is often higher than that administered in hospitals. Picture filling a bucket with a small hole in the bottom. When it's full, it's full, no matter how fast you fill it (assuming a minimum rate not lower than your metabolic rate).

 

[boulderjohn]

Outside of a technical context, Nitrox is about NDL's. If you fill a bucket to 2/3 full with the tap all the way open or you fill the bucket to 2/3 full with the tap "not quite" all the way open, then the bucket is still 2/3 full.

Forgive me if I misunderstood your point. As I read it, you seem to me implying (as many others have in the past), that you have two choices:

1. Go all the way to NDL on air.
2. Go all the way to NDL on nitrox.

There are instead many profiles in which a nitrox diver has a longer dive than an air diver who has gone to NDL but does not come close to NDLs for nitrox. This is especially true on a 3-4 dive day.

 

[crofrog]

No, review your physiology. The majority of oxygen in blood is carried bound to hemoglobin. At 1 atm and 21% O2, hemoglobin is approximately 97% saturated. Dissolved oxygen contributes very little to oxygen carrying capacity. The additional oxygen from nitrox plays no role

Go back and read "Principles of Anatomy and Physiology" by Tortora and Derrickson, and answer the question "What role does dissolved oxygen play in the body?" and maybe "If DO doesn't do anything, why does HBOT do anything?"

 

[Dive Concepts]

Hey fellow divers,

I've been pondering the choice between conservative diving and diving with Nitrox, and I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences on the matter.

For those who may not be familiar, conservative diving typically involves adhering strictly to no-decompression limits and safety stops, often using air as the breathing gas. On the other hand, Nitrox, also known as Enriched Air Nitrox (EANx), involves diving with a higher percentage of oxygen than regular air, which can extend bottom time and potentially reduce post-dive fatigue.

I've found both approaches have their merits, but I'm curious about your preferences and the factors that influence your decision when choosing between them. Do you lean towards one method over the other depending on the dive site, conditions, or personal preferences?

Personally, I appreciate the added safety margins of conservative diving, especially when exploring unfamiliar sites or diving in challenging conditions. However, I've also enjoyed the extended bottom times and reduced nitrogen loading that Nitrox offers, particularly on repetitive dives or when diving deeper.

So, what are your thoughts? Which approach do you typically prefer, and why? Have you noticed any significant differences in your diving experiences when using one method over the other? Let's dive into this discussion and share our insights!

Looking forward to hearing from you all.

Happy diving!

 

[Angelo Farina]

Hey fellow divers,

I've been pondering the choice between conservative diving and diving with Nitrox, and I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences on the matter.

For those who may not be familiar, conservative diving typically involves adhering strictly to no-decompression limits and safety stops, often using air as the breathing gas. On the other hand, Nitrox, also known as Enriched Air Nitrox (EANx), involves diving with a higher percentage of oxygen than regular air, which can extend bottom time and potentially reduce post-dive fatigue.

I've found both approaches have their merits, but I'm curious about your preferences and the factors that influence your decision when choosing between them. Do you lean towards one method over the other depending on the dive site, conditions, or personal preferences?

Personally, I appreciate the added safety margins of conservative diving, especially when exploring unfamiliar sites or diving in challenging conditions. However, I've also enjoyed the extended bottom times and reduced nitrogen loading that Nitrox offers, particularly on repetitive dives or when diving deeper.

So, what are your thoughts? Which approach do you typically prefer, and why? Have you noticed any significant differences in your diving experiences when using one method over the other? Let's dive into this discussion and share our insights!

Looking forward to hearing from you all.

Happy diving!

What you wrote contains a number of misconceptions.
And what matters is always making sensible comparisons.
For example, when comparing two dives up to the edge of NDL limit and at the same depth (say, 30 meters), one done with a conservative profile in air (say, a final GF=50), and one done with a standard profile with Nitrox-32 (wirh a final GF=85), you discover that diving with Nitrox you end the dive with much more Nitrogen in your body and more tired (due to the longer dive).
Of course the opposite happens if comparing two dives at the same deprh and with the same duration: diving with air you exit water more fatigued, as the dive in air is now requiring long deco stops, while with Nitrox you are still within NDL.
Still, if the final GF in air is set at 50%, whilst with Nitrox it is set at 85%, when you exit the water, after those long deco stops due to air, you have much less Nitrogen in your body than using Nitrox.

 

[crofrog]

What you wrote contains a number of misconceptions.

It has all of the patterns of GPT generated content.