How do they prepare these habitats?

[jiveturkey]

Can someone give me some info on how they prepare these habitats? This photo is from a recent wkpp dive. I know they probably put new ones down in some cases but aren't some of these permanent in popular dive sites? Do they have to flush out the c02 to replace the 02? How do they set these things up so they are safe?

 

[c555]

No Clue

 

[chickdiver]

We don't breathe the gas in the habitats (at least not for long- just enough to eat and converse a very little). We breathe off SCUBA while in them.

 

[loosebits]

You know, when I thought of habitats, I always thought of something a little more substantial than an upside down kiddie pool. I think using the term habitat to describe such a thing may be a bit of a misnomer.

 

[ToddL]

That's not a habitat -- it's the trough at 40ft in Wakulla.

At Wakulla we have two habitats at 30ft, and troughs at 40ft, 50ft, and 120ft. The habitats are larger, each of which has room for three divers to get up out of the water.

Troughs are helpful for communication, comfort, warmth, eating and drinking, and switching from the breathers to a deco harness. They would also be used in responding to a toxing diver, should that ever occur. The 50ft and 120ft troughs are made from 150gal Rubbermaid horse troughs, and the 40ft trough is a bit bigger. The smaller troughs just have loops around the perimeter, and do not have the center beam shown in the photo.

 

[do it easy]

ToddL - Welcome to the Board and thanks for the info.

 

[AquaHump]

That's not a habitat -- it's the trough at 40ft in Wakulla.

At Wakulla we have two habitats at 30ft, and troughs at 40ft, 50ft, and 120ft. The habitats are larger, each of which has room for three divers to get up out of the water.

Troughs are helpful for communication, comfort, warmth, eating and drinking, and switching from the breathers to a deco harness. They would also be used in responding to a toxing diver, should that ever occur. The 50ft and 120ft troughs are made from 150gal Rubbermaid horse troughs, and the 40ft trough is a bit bigger. The smaller troughs just have loops around the perimeter, and do not have the center beam shown in the photo.

I thoght that they had stoped diving Wakulla. is that an old pic?

 

[jiveturkey]

That's not a habitat -- it's the trough at 40ft in Wakulla.

At Wakulla we have two habitats at 30ft, and troughs at 40ft, 50ft, and 120ft. The habitats are larger, each of which has room for three divers to get up out of the water.

Troughs are helpful for communication, comfort, warmth, eating and drinking, and switching from the breathers to a deco harness. They would also be used in responding to a toxing diver, should that ever occur. The 50ft and 120ft troughs are made from 150gal Rubbermaid horse troughs, and the 40ft trough is a bit bigger. The smaller troughs just have loops around the perimeter, and do not have the center beam shown in the photo.

They have these things at 120 feet? Wow. So how do they get the water out? I'm not trying to build one or anything, I'm just trying to imagine practically how this thing is built.

 

[CuriousRambler]

I'd imagine they just take a tank down there (or multiple tanks, whatever you'd need..) and dump the air into it once it's in place. That way you're not messing with unimaginable amounts of lift taking it down. Like chickdiver said, the air's probably not meant to be breathable for long periods of time..

 

[Vie]

At Wakulla we have two habitats at 30ft, and troughs at 40ft, 50ft, and 120ft. The habitats are larger, each of which has room for three divers to get up out of the water.

Here's a picture of one of the habitats (from the GUE website).

The photo (taken by David Rhea) shows the RB80 team of Casey McKinlay, Todd Leonard, and Terry Koritz settling in for decompression in the shallow habitat.