Maximum number of air tanks

[jennasnyder1980]

I am just curious. I saw a picture somewhere of someone deep diving with 6 or so air tanks.

I have heard that if you dive deep enough, it may take someone 3 hours to ascend. Where can I find more information about this?

I don't have a personal interest in DOING this kind of diving, but find the gas mixtures, time underwater, and depth to be fascinating information.

Do people hold on to something so they doing float away? Are there specific gases for specific depths? Do they bring along a lot of extra air in case something happens???

Thanks for helping to answer my burning questions!

Jen:blinking:

 

[spectrum]

Jen you understand more than you realize. I don't have a good link to share but I'm sure someone here will.

Meanwhile have you been browsing the Tech Diving Forums here?

Pete

 

[Wildcard]

There travel gases, bottom gasses, deco gases. All are blends of 02, nitrogen, helium and a few other exotic gases are used. Typicaly there are stage tanks that are hung from aline at different depths for decompressing in addition to the assortment of carried tanks. Pretty high tech diving. Working into that level ever so slowly.

 

[jennasnyder1980]

Spectrum,

I am going to that forum right now to check it out. Thanks!!
Jen

 

[Curt Bowen]

Spectrum,

I am going to that forum right now to check it out. Thanks!!
Jen

also try

www.advanceddivermagazine.com

 

[in_cavediver]

I am just curious. I saw a picture somewhere of someone deep diving with 6 or so air tanks.

I have heard that if you dive deep enough, it may take someone 3 hours to ascend. Where can I find more information about this?

I don't have a personal interest in DOING this kind of diving, but find the gas mixtures, time underwater, and depth to be fascinating information.

Do people hold on to something so they doing float away? Are there specific gases for specific depths? Do they bring along a lot of extra air in case something happens???

Thanks for helping to answer my burning questions!

Jen:blinking:

The most tanks I personally have taken is 4+argon (double 104's + 2 AL 80's). That said, there are divers who take so many that they need support teams to carry the bottles in and out for them. A case in point is that the full trimix class requires 4 tanks (plus argon in most cases) as standard equipment for the class.

As others have said, these dives usually involve great depth, great distance (time) or both. The mixtures vary from Pure 02 to various nitrox's to different trimix's. Each gas has it place as either a stage, deco or safety tank and is designated for use in a specific depth range. This is all determined in the initial dive plan.

As for the actual carrying of the tanks, usually its making sure you don't sink rather than float. (at least in my case). My goal is to always be able to be neutral and horizontal in the water, irregardless of what other gear I happen to be carrying at the time.

As for the air management, these types of dives are usually done using the rule of thirds. (or something more conservitive). The idea being that at any point in the dive, you have enough gas to get you and your buddy (team) back to the surface with any required decompression. The surface usually isn't a good option.

 

[K9trnr]

Cool magazine, Curt. Thanks for the link!

 

[TSandM]

Here's an entertaining picture of the tanks staged in Wakulla Springs for the exploration dives earlier this month. It just boggles my mind, what's involved in staging all that stuff and then pulling it all back out!

 

[wilkie]

Cool pic; but don't BS anyone about how many divers were going to use those bottles, I'l wager it was quite a few more than pictured (by a facor of 5-6), let me know if I'm wrong.

 

[venturediver]

3-4 hours to ascend is really not too bad. On the world's deepest scuba dive (a little over 1300 feet). It took him 20 minutes to descend and 12 hours to ascend due to his required deco time. He wore quads, had I don't know how many stage bottles, and a slew of safety divers staged from the boat down. Now thats a tec dive.