I want more volume

[jpraederjr]

I want a bigger tank. Should I get a aluminum 100 or go with a steel 100 or 120.

How about the Worthington cylinders?

 

[Firefyter]

I want a bigger tank. Should I get a aluminum 100 or go with a steel 100 or 120.

I wanted more volume as well, but the cost of a steel was way higher than an AL100, and they weren't readily available to me, so I went with the AL100. If price and availability aren't a concern for you, the steel is a far better way to go IMHO. YMMV.

 

[pants!]

Where do you dive, what kind of exposure protection do you wear, what's your budget, and what kind of plans do you have for your diving future?

 

[jpraederjr]

I have only been diving for about a year. But so far I think I will do most of my diving off North Carolina with maybe a 4/3 full suit. I'm not rolling in money but I can spend what it takes.

 

[pants!]

IMO, the PST E7-100 is a fantastic single tank. About the same size and weight as an Al 80, but you get to drop 5 pounds of lead and get over 20cf more gas. They are hard to find, though.

Any other steel HP100 is a good choice. Don't get the Al 100.

 

[ScubaSixString]

I want a bigger tank. Should I get a aluminum 100 or go with a steel 100 or 120.

How about the Worthington cylinders?

I can't remember for sure, but i think i saw a LDS selling a steel 130. Talk about volume....

 

[pants!]

Actually, if you want volume....

I have some speakers in the back....

They go up to *11*.

 

[LobstaMan]

Topics like this one have been discussed many times on the SB. Search this forum using the keywords 'PST', '100' or 'AL' and you'll get a vast amount of feedback.

However, my advice would be to cough up the dough for a pair of PST E7-100s. Outstanding quality, long-lasting, more than enough gas to reach your NDLs and in shallow water you'll feel like you've grown gills. Downside is low supply + greater demand = higher cost.

I bought two over the winter and I couldn't be happier with these tanks.

LobstaMan

 

[mark99]

Note that the Steel 100 and 120's referenced here are high pressure (230 bar) tanks and your regulator must be rated to handle the higher pressure. So check the manual, or a stamp that might be on the yoke part of the reg. Check the valve connection type also, especially if you buy a used tank, to make sure you are compatible (DIN vs yoke). The HP pressed steel tanks (PST) have a DIN but come with an insert that makes them yoke compatible.

The nice thing about HP tanks are they are smaller for whatever amount of air you have (note I said smaller, not lighter!!) and they have zero or negative buoyancy at the end of the dive rather than positive like the AL tanks. The most popular is the E7-100 which is same diameter (7.25") as the AL80, and 2 inches shorter. Other options are the e7-120 (2 inches taller than the AL80), but 50% more air, and even 25% more air if you get underfilled to 200 bar. - and the E8-119, which is same height as the AL80 but 8" diameter. If you really want to go to the top there's the E8-130, but i"d guess it tops 50# when full.

 

[Tom Winters]

My wife loves her HP 100's. I love my LP 125's and LP 85's. My LP 85's hold 10 more cubes than her HP 100's because I pump 'em up the way God intended them to be filled. Each of my LP 125's holds as much air as twinned aluminum 80's.
I just got a pair of Worthington cylinders - there are some GREAT deals on them out there. I've never been a fan of the E8-130's since I'm not that wild about HP steels in general with their attendent high prices, but that is my own personal opinion.