Explain to me why you own your own tank(s)

[twistypencil]

I don't get why I'd want to own my own tank(s). There has to be a reason, but I'm failing to see it. Right now, I go to my LDS, rent the tanks, bring them back. Its two trips to the shop. If I buy tanks, I still have to bring them to the LDS to fill them (and then I need to wait for them to fill them), so I save one trip to the LDS, but then I need to add regular inspections. It seems like it isn't worth it, especially if you fly somewhere where you are likely to rent tanks (and weights)... but I must be missing reasons that you all prefer to own your own tanks -- so fill me in! Is it because you really want a very specific tank material, size etc. and can't usually get them at the shop? Are you obsessed about making sure nobody touches your stuff? What is your reason?

 

[tursiops]

One reason is that I want a tank at home of clean air so I can work on and check out my gear.
I may also be driving somewhere so that the logistics are simplified with several of my own tanks.

You apparently dive and fill locally. Depending on where you live and how much you dive, that can get expensive compared to having your own tank(s). The fundamental idea is that filing is cheaper than filling plus renting. Example: suppose you do N dives per year, and the cost of a fill is $F, and the cost of a rental is $R, and the cost of an annual visual tank inspection is $V. Then your total cost for the year is
$T = N($F+$R) + $V
Typical numbers are $F=$8, $R=$10, and $V=$25.
For N=10 you spend $180 if you rent, $125 if you do not.
For N=100 you spend $1800 if you rent, $1025 if you do not.
For doing not much diving, it takes a while to amortize tank ownership.
For a lot of diving, it take just a few months.

 

[TravisD]

• Not every place we dive has cylinders for rent, but may have fills.
• With enough of your own cylinders, you can do multiple days of diving and still only make one trip to get fills.
• Trips to LDS for fills can be done on a better schedule - no rush to get there Friday afternoon to pick them up, then back on monday (or whenever they re-open) to return rentals. After a weekend of diving, you make the run sometime prior to the next dives to get fills - no rush on either end.
• My close-by LDS closed last year. Ignoring for this discussion that I ended up buying the fill station... if I had to go to an LDS for fills still, it would be about an hour round-trip to the closest one, which on some days means I need to plan to leave work a little early to get there in time. I can get free fills at the LDS that I teach for...but that's over an hour each way from home!
• I have cylinders that are the size and materials that I prefer. It's hard to rent steel cylinders some places.
• I can keep them filled with my preferred gasses. If I don't use the gas, it's there next time.
• If taken care of, cylinders last darn near forever, and hold their value (unlike just about every other piece of dive gear).
• I estimate that my steel cylinders have 'cost' me about $35/year or so since I've owned them, in terms of purchase, hydro, vips. At this point I could probably sell them for what I paid for them.
• I know how they've been taken care of - there's zero chance that the last person to use them emptied them and let water in.
• Why not?

 

[rongoodman]

That might be OK if your LDS has the particular tanks that you want to use for rent. Most have a rather limited selection.

 

[Brodydog]

Example: suppose you do N dives per year, and the cost of a fill is $F, and the cost of a rental is $R, and the cost of an annual visual tank inspection is $V. Then your total cost for the year is
$T = N($F+$R) + $I
Typical numbers are $F=$8, $R=$10, and $I=$25.
For N=10 you spend $180 if you rent, $125 if you do not.
For N=100 you spend $1800 if you rent, $1025 if you do not.

I thought I was a math oriented person but that equation hurt my head. I do get the jest of what you’re saying though.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I must be missing reasons that you all prefer to own your own tanks -- so fill me in! Is it because you really want a very specific tank material, size etc. and can't usually get them at the shop?

It is often that. Many shops rent only the ubiquitous Al 80s, while some divers may prefer, for example, a HP 100 or even 120, so they can have more gas.

 

[heftysmurf]

Since I dive weekly, I have 3 tanks -- (2) 100's and (1) 80...all steel. I don't have to carry much weight. I load up my truck and go shore diving when I want or when a buddy calls me up. Could be a night dive or early morning and the LDS isn't open. I drop it off after the dive and have two more I can play with.

I also take my 100's on boat dives because I rip air! As mentioned, I know they're taken care of. Lastly, I like owning my stuff and being accountable for MY stuff.

 

[Td9984]

My LDS is an hour and a half away. If I had to rent tanks I would need to take time off Monday and Friday every time I want to go diving. With my own tanks I can either make the drive the weekend before or simply hop down to local volunteer FD were they allow me to fill tanks for free. The cost in gas alone makes it worth it to me.
Also I dive 120 steel and my local LDS doesn't rent them. I only have to go to LDS for Hydros as I have a local person who is qualified to do the VIP for me and I fill locally or at dove site if doing multiple dives over the weekend.

 

[MidOH]

Baby doubles.

Steel.

Local use, camping.

Al40 pony/stages.

 

[Brodydog]

or simply hop down to local volunteer FD were they allow me to fill tanks for free

Nice