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

[NothingClever]

@twistypencil

Lots of great answers here.

I have eight different tanks for technical and extended duration dives but rent for recreational boat dives.

Best to define your needs and wants and do what makes sense for you.

 

[Mr_D]

I'm getting back into diving after a 10 year gap and need to fill some equipment voids.

I want to buy two tanks, past tanks I have owned and rented were Alum 80's and now I'm thinking steel 80's. Is this the right path?

3mm wetsuit is also on the list, if I need anything thicker, I won't dive. HA

Nice to have would be the Shearwater Peregrine TX Dive Computer, currently have a 10 plus year old Suunto Vyper.

Looks like a $2K upgrade.

 

[parzdiver]

Why did I own my own tanks? Mostly convenience and having the same tanks on all of my "local" dives. I was regularly diving at the local quarry for a few years. Could get fills there, so no trips to the LDS. Was doing a few trips to the St. Lawrence, no worries about finding rental tanks, easy to get fills. Was doing trips to North Carolina, no worries about rental tanks, easy to get fills.

I have since sold a few of my tanks to keep it down to what I need.

 

[Belzelbub]

I want to buy two tanks, past tanks I have owned and rented were Alum 80's and now I'm thinking steel 80's. Is this the right path?

If the AL80s were good for you from a size perspective, I'd look at Steel 100s. Those will be a lot closer in overall size to the AL80s. Steel 80s are often too short for people that aren't on the shorter side. Plus, you'll get more capacity.

I see lots of 100s in the used market, but don't see steel 80s very often.

 

[Mr_D]

If the AL80s were good for you from a size perspective, I'd look at Steel 100s. Those will be a lot closer in overall size to the AL80s. Steel 80s are often too short for people that aren't on the shorter side. Plus, you'll get more capacity.

I see lots of 100s in the used market, but don't see steel 80s very often.

Good point on the 80's being short, I'm 5'11" so the AL80's were fine. I did come across a picture of ALUM and Steel for size comparison and the Steel 100 looks ok.

 

[Boarderguy]

Good point on the 80's being short, I'm 5'11" so the AL80's were fine. I did come across a picture of ALUM and Steel for size comparison and the Steel 100 looks ok.

View attachment 852986

100s are essentially the go to for any cold water diving unless you're quite short. I have 2 HP 80s that my wife uses and are my backup tanks for when I haven't taken or picked up my 100s from the shop.

AL 80s are great for warm water and vacation diving or for use as stages and deco.

 

[Mr_D]

Well I don't see myself doing any cold-water diving but would like to shed some lead weight hence the steel tanks. If I have to buy new tanks my thoughts were to just so steel.

 

[Belzelbub]

Good point on the 80's being short, I'm 5'11" so the AL80's were fine. I did come across a picture of ALUM and Steel for size comparison and the Steel 100 looks ok.

Yep. 100s are great. A little shorter than AL80s, but you can shed some weight as they remain negatively buoyant when empty. Here's another comparison from my garage. AL80s on the left, HP120s in the center, and HP100s on the right, AL19 up front.

One note, the 100s that are in my photo are HP100s you may find these with 3500 PSI (DIN only) or 3442 PSI (DIN/Yoke). There is also a LP 108, which is fatter 8" diameter instead of 7.25". The tanks in the far right on your photo look to be 8" diameter. They could possibly be LP 108 or HP 130s. Those two are very close in dimensions. HP117 is also a possibility, but I would think that would show a bit taller.

The 100 in your photo looks to be almost the same height as the AL80s. I think this is largely a function of the boot. The AL80s and HP100s in my photo use similar boots. The HP120s have boots with little posts on the bottom, similar to what I see in your photo. Just mentioning this as you may see them with either boot and just comparing tanks, the HP100s are about 2" shorter than AL80s.

Well I don't see myself doing any cold-water diving but would like to shed some lead weight hence the steel tanks. If I have to buy new tanks my thoughts were to just so steel.

Yeah. We don't do a lot of cold water diving in FL. At least not what most consider cold. Even here, the steel HP100s are highly sought after. You should definitely be able to shed some weight with the steels.

 

[Miyaru]

Do. Not. Buy. Your. Own. Tanks!


Nobody here has mentioned it, but if you keep them in the same space, without oversight, things go wrong.

Here is the result of just 1 weekend alone:

 

[Belzelbub]

Do. Not. Buy. Your. Own. Tanks!


Nobody here has mentioned it, but if you keep them in the same space, without oversight, things go wrong.

Here is the result of just 1 weekend alone:

Absolutely correct. I’d recommend you separate them immediately, or things will get worse.

When I got my first set of gear, I got this tank:

A few years later, this was the situation:

Another few years passed, and the little one was added:

That was fine for a while until a couple steels were added. Originally was a set of HP130s. I got rid of them a couple years ago, for some HP120s and things looked like this:

To be continued…