A lot of great advices on this post but I am surprised that nobody talks about the cylinder size.
When you are saying that 12L cylinders are too combersome when you dive, are you talking about Aluminum 12L or Steel 12L? If this is the latter, I agree. Even for me, some 12L short steel cylinder are so heavy in the water that it is a pain, especially at the begining of the dive. Switch to an aluminum cylinder. But my guess is that in Australia you are using aluminum cylinders, right?
Another thing to consider , especially if you become more experienced and go into deeper dives, closer to deco levels or behond, is that you are not alone in the water. In these dives, you have to have enough gas to cover for YOU and your BUDDY, in case of trouble at one's equipment. In these "special" circumpstances, I can garanty you that the SAC (surface air consumtion ) can easily go trough the roof. If on top of that, your buddy is a rather high air consumer, you will soon find out that a 10L or worse, a 8L will be pretty bad.
Diving is a dangerous sport if you are not planning for preventive and corrective measures in the case that something could go wrong. So please keep that in mind
When you are saying that 12L cylinders are too combersome when you dive, are you talking about Aluminum 12L or Steel 12L? If this is the latter, I agree. Even for me, some 12L short steel cylinder are so heavy in the water that it is a pain, especially at the begining of the dive. Switch to an aluminum cylinder. But my guess is that in Australia you are using aluminum cylinders, right?
Another thing to consider , especially if you become more experienced and go into deeper dives, closer to deco levels or behond, is that you are not alone in the water. In these dives, you have to have enough gas to cover for YOU and your BUDDY, in case of trouble at one's equipment. In these "special" circumpstances, I can garanty you that the SAC (surface air consumtion ) can easily go trough the roof. If on top of that, your buddy is a rather high air consumer, you will soon find out that a 10L or worse, a 8L will be pretty bad.
Diving is a dangerous sport if you are not planning for preventive and corrective measures in the case that something could go wrong. So please keep that in mind