Just ordered new tanks - anything to note?

[Still Kicking]

I love my 120s (it's easier to have fewer tanks on my boat and use each one for multiple dives) but 130 "water heaters" were too much for me. Most people i know who get them resell them pretty quickly. Ymmv.

The XS Scuba/Thermo style valves are nicer than Blue Steel but i wouldnt change them if they came with the tanks. Galvanized tanks hold up much better in the long run vs painted.

x10 on drilling those saltwater retaining boots. I can't believe they havent fixed that dumb design after all these years!

 

[iyakonboats]

I totally get the reasoning behind big tanks. I’m a big guy, and I want to make sure I have enough air for me and any customers who run low. But 133’s are just huge and heavy and, as noted, require you to carry extra weight if in case you do breathe the tank low.

If it’s not too late, perhaps you could get a mix of sizes rather than have to dive in beast mode every time you dive.

I never see customers bring anything larger than a 120 cu. ft. tank on the charters I work, and those are rare.

I have a pair of steel 80’s and a pair of steel 120’s in addition to some AL 80’s. I use the 120’s only for dives deeer than 80 feet because otherwise I just feel like I’m wasting air when I go to get refills. Even then, it’s sort of overkill when everyone else is using AL 80’s. I went diving with two friends last week: two dives to 100 ft. My buddies are both smaller, more experienced, more efficient divers than I am. They both had AL 80’s. I used my 120’s and still surfaced with more than 1500 psi after each dive. If I’d had 133’s it would have really been overkill!

I think the 120’s would give you all the safety margin you need while not making you carry extra weight to account for positive tank buoyancy at the end of the dive.

One other thing to consider if you’re going to be diving from charter boats: Most recreational charters won’t let you stay down long enough to consume the air you’ll carry in the 133’s. I’ll put experienced divers and divers with big tanks in the water first to give them more bottom time than less experienced divers, but everyone is on the clock. We don’t have all day.

Best wishes,

I agree with you, but my wife went through a 130cu within 20 minutes, under 15 with a 100cu, so yeah, I imagine it'll take her a lot of time to get comfortable. We do plan on having a mix of tanks, but interestingly enough, I could get the 133cus shipped faster than 120cu. I totally get where having a mix of tanks is worth it, price isn't too much of an issue for us, dual income and no kids, we can splurge

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I agree with you, but my wife went through a 130cu within 20 minutes, under 15 with a 100cu, so yeah, I imagine it'll take her a lot of time to get comfortable. We do plan on having a mix of tanks, but interestingly enough, I could get the 133cus shipped faster than 120cu. I totally get where having a mix of tanks is worth it, price isn't too much of an issue for us, dual income and no kids, we can splurge

I know many divers who LOVE those tanks. They definitely have their benefits. Enjoy! Worst case you can easily sell a few if you find you don't need them all.

 

[iyakonboats]

I know many divers who LOVE those tanks. They definitely have their benefits. Enjoy! Worst case you can easily sell a few if you find you don't need them all.

Now, I should mention, we're both short people, I am 5'6" and she is 5'4", those tall 120cu drive us batty, but when a charter gave us a 133, we loved it, so there is also our vertical impairment to consider, hehehe.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

I agree with you, but my wife went through a 130cu within 20 minutes, under 15 with a 100cu, so yeah, I imagine it'll take her a lot of time to get comfortable. We do plan on having a mix of tanks, but interestingly enough, I could get the 133cus shipped faster than 120cu. I totally get where having a mix of tanks is worth it, price isn't too much of an issue for us, dual income and no kids, we can splurge

At what depth was she going through the tank that quickly?

 

[scrane]

I project the more you dive the better your air consumption you will regret having a flotilla of oversized non standard tanks. In a couple of years you will probably look back and wonder "what was I thinking?". I'd bail on the order if possible and rethink the matter.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Now, I should mention, we're both short people, I am 5'6" and she is 5'4", those tall 120cu drive us batty, but when a charter gave us a 133, we loved it, so there is also our vertical impairment to consider, hehehe.

One guy I knew who loved them was about my height ... 5'8". I could dive the 104s (very similar tank to the 130s) without issue but I preferred my 4 HP100s I have which is why I sold them. Get them, dive the heck out of them, and if you find that you no longer need that much tank all the time sell 2-4 of them and buy HP100s.

 

[iyakonboats]

At what depth was she going through the tank that quickly?

40-60' - She has just never done any type of sport where there is some inherent risk of danger, so she's adapting well, getting better, but she is taking a while to learn how to conserve air.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

40-60' - She has just never done any type of sport where there is some inherent risk of danger, so she's adapting well, getting better, but she is taking a while to learn how to conserve air.

Ah, ok. Yup. That will improve with time.

 

[iyakonboats]

One guy I knew who loved them was about my height ... 5'8". I could dive the 104s (very similar tank to the 130s) without issue but I preferred my 4 HP100s I have which is why I sold them. Get them, dive the heck out of them, and if you find that you no longer need that much tank all the time sell 2-4 of them and buy HP100s.

I imagine I'll do something like that in the future, since I had $1,000 in gift cars to spend, it wasn't that much of a big deal spend. I'd kill to be 5'8", more things would fit me