Do I need separate nitrox and air pony/bailout tanks?

[lenbro]

Hi, do I need separte nitrox and air bailout tanks or can I get by with one or the other? I am thinking of setting up a 13 cu in rig. I dive mostly air but sometimes use nitrox. I do mostly shallow diving (30-70 feet or so) with occational 100+ dives. Thanks for any insights!

 

[Charlie99]

Unless you are doing decompression diving, I wouldn't bother with nitrox in your pony.

If you are on a nitrox dive and your main reg fails, you just use the pony with air to ascend.

You could also just use nitrox in your pony for all dives, but only if you know for sure that you will be staying above the maximum operating depth of the nitrox min in the pony. This would not be my preferred alternative.

 

[Dr Wu]

Hi, do I need separte nitrox and air bailout tanks or can I get by with one or the other? I am thinking of setting up a 13 cu in rig. I dive mostly air but sometimes use nitrox. I do mostly shallow diving (30-70 feet or so) with occational 100+ dives. Thanks for any insights!

Here we go: a proper illustration of how absurd the "pony" issue has become.

 

[knowone]

The Internet.

A library? No.

Learning less faster? Yes.

Can I put Bourbon in one and Scotch in the other.

 

[Dr Wu]

The Internet.

A library? No.

Learning less faster? Yes.

Can I put Bourbon in one and Scotch in the other.

One bourbon in the right tank, one scotch in the left.

And one beer in the "all desired" pony.

Its called a "full wrap".

 

[DevonDiver]

Using a pony / bailout (I guess we're gonna hear that term a lot more now that Sanctum is released) is only for emergency ascent purposes, so the choice of gas for a recreational diver is not that vital.

Providing that you are within your NDL, swapping from nitrox to air for that ascent is unlikely to cause any significant increased risk from DCS.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Using a pony / bailout (I guess we're gonna hear that term a lot more now that Sanctum is released) is only for emergency ascent purposes, so the choice of gas for a recreational diver is not that vital.

Providing that you are within your NDL, swapping from nitrox to air for that ascent is unlikely to cause any significant increased risk from DCS.

Yes and filling your pony exclusively with air makes things simpler, no worries about MOD (within reason), probably free at the dive shop, faster to fill (possibly) and there is zero opportunity to get the wrong mix in the pony.

 

[lenbro]

I figured air would be OK especially with a small bottle. If I were diving past the NDL or using a pony to extend dive time I would be more worried about matching gases. This is a small, emergency only pony used for conservative rec diving. I like the idea of using air in the pony so I don't have to worry about using ean too deep on accident. Simple and easy are always good. Thanks for the input.

I have tickets to George Thorogood for an upcoming show. I think he would dive the full wrap.

 

[dkktsunami]

Saw George Thorogood in Telluride last fall - an awesome performance.

 

[Doc Harry]

I asked this same sort of question when I was a novice diver.

If you run out of gas at 120 feet and you've got Nitrox 38% in your bailout bottle, are you going to wait until you reach the MOD of 38% to start breathing from your bailout bottle?

Just fill the bailout bottle with air.