how many tanks

[Divin'Papaw]

I have around 30 from steel 100 to 6 cf and anything you can think of in between, such as doubles, 72 cf, 38 cf, etc.
I got PSI certified or I could not afford to keep my cylinders inspected. I know I don't need that many, but I can't resist picking up deals at yard sales, etc.

Man ... that alot of tanks! You have your own personal warehouse to store them in?

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I guess I need to shop for more tanks. One is not going to cut it.

It depends on several things.

1. How much diving you do
2. How close you are to a shop
3. How much it will cost to maintain your own tanks versus renting.
4. How much a fill of air or nitrox will cost versus renting a tank with air or nitrox.

Where I live, the shop is 50 miles away, their hours really suck for anyone who cannot get there M-F 8 to 5 and would prefer to be diving during the limited Saturday hours. And there is no guarentee they can fill your tanks immediately anyway as most of the staff are out giving lessons on Saturdays. On a positive note, hydro tests, VIP's and air fills are reasonbly priced so tank maintenance is not a killer and owning your own tanks makes sense.

Due to the limited shop hours, travel time and the expense involved, it actually made more sense for me to spend a couple thousand on a compressor and fill my own tanks as it will eventally (2-3 years) be cheaper than spending $3.50 per gallon making two 100 mile round trips and then pay for air fills that I had to take time off work and/or miss Saturday dive time to get.

So how many tanks you will want or need and where the econmomics of renting, owning, or even pushing your own gas fall out will depend on your diving habits and the quality, service and pricing policies of your local dive shop(s).

 

[hex92]

2 sets of PST E7 120s
1 set of Faber LP 95s
1 AL 80 (50% bottle)
2 AL 40 (50% and 100%)
1 AL 30 (50%) - I'll sell this one when its due for its next hydro

so 10 total

 

[Charlie99]

I guess I need to shop for more tanks. One is not going to cut it.

After diving for a while you'll get a feel for what sort of diving you are into and how many tanks it takes to conveniently support your dive excursions. Taking a while before buying tanks also lets you develop some regular buddies and find out what sort of tanks they are using. For convenience in swapping around tanks, sometimes it is nice to be diving the same type of tank as your buddies.

I'm in an unusual situation in that, although I do more than 100 dives per year, I don't own any tanks. A lot of my diving is done in resort locations and tanks are provided on-site. I also dive extensively for 3 or 4 months each year while at my condo on Maui. There is a shop a couple blocks away that rents tanks that have been dropped off after being filled at another location about 3 miles away. Since the shop is open 7AM to 9PM 7 days a week, it is pretty easy to get rental tanks just about anytime I want. OTOH, to get a tank filled, I'd have to travel a bit further and either stand around for quite a while as they do a nice slow fill, or make the same 2 trips that it takes to rent and then return a rental.

Don't be in a rush and buy a bunch of tanks only to later discover that you really would prefer a different type.

 

[mwhities]

Two Catalina AL 100's.

Looking to purchase a set of doubles soon, with the year's end. I want to test a few different sizes if I can find someone close that will let me try theirs.

the K? Can I try your HP100's out?

Michael

 

[frankc420]

Two Catalina AL 100's.

Looking to purchase a set of doubles soon, with the year's end. I want to test a few different sizes if I can find someone close that will let me try theirs.

the K? Can I try your HP100's out?

Michael

You have to make it to the water first.

 

[Tim Greaves]

I am very new to diving (3 total dives) How many tanks you have? do you rent? own?if so how many? I bought one (used) but it seems to be a pain for one dive i have to run to dive shop to fill every dive trip..
I was wondering how many people have?

I own a set of 95 steel doubles, a set of steel 72 doubles, 2 al80's, 1 30 cuft pony, and a partridge in a pear tree..

 

[TekDiveGirl]

12 total --- my living room used to be where I stored them all too!

2 sets of doubled lp 104s
1 set of doubled lp 95s
1 set of doubled lp 855
2 al 80s set up as deco bottles
2 al 40s set up as deco bottles
1 al 6 for argon

Kimber

 

[CC1020]

I have 2 AL80's, one air and one Nitrox

 

[in_cavediver]

How many of you cylinder junkies (I'm getting there) got PSI certified to do your own VIPs?

Pete

4 PST E7-80s
2 PST HP-100s

If I didn't do my own VIP's, O2 cleaning and reg rebuilds, I'd go broke.