Nitrox for older divers

[scubadada]

As you get older you may wish to be more conservative in your diving. i.e shallower dives or dives that avoid getting near the edge of the NDL time.
Using Nitrox would allow you to dive to the edge of your NDL time, but the Nitrox is providing that buffer.

It is really a question of how much conservatism you believe you need, or feel is appropriate, and how you wish to achieve this.

There is one other advantage of Nitrox, in the (unlikely?) event of a bend, then your prognosis is better if you where using Nitrox as the diving gas.

Ultimately it's about how much risk you wish to take, and how you prefer to mitigate it.

Hi @Gareth J

I do not understand the points in your post. If you dive to the edge of NDL on air or nitrox, how is nitrox giving you a "buffer"? If you have an episode of DCS on nitrox, rather than air, how is your prognosis better?

 

[Gareth J]

Hi @Gareth J

I do not understand the points in your post. If you dive to the edge of NDL on air or nitrox, how is nitrox giving you a "buffer"? If you have an episode of DCS on nitrox, rather than air, how is your prognosis better?

Amended the original post to hopefully be clear.

I meant that you could run the dive time on an AIR table, diving to the edge of the NDL. But actually using Nitrox as the buffer.

 

[scubadada]

Amended the original post to hopefully be clear.

I meant that you could run the dive time on an AIR table, diving to the edge of the NDL. But actually using Nitrox as the buffer.

I am in favor of running my computer on the gas I'm diving. This will track nitrogen and oxygen accurately. You can always dive your computer conservatively if you prefer. In case of an incident, your computer will contain the correct information.

 

[boulderjohn]

I meant that you could run the dive time on an AIR table,

This is a common suggestion, but I have never seen the point of it. I agree with scubadada. Why lie to the computer? If you don't want to go all the way to the limits, don't go all the way to the limits.

 

[Gareth J]

I am in favor of running my computer on the gas I'm diving. This will track nitrogen and oxygen accurately. You can always dive your computer conservatively if you prefer. In case of an incident, your computer will contain the correct information.

It is really a question about your personal approach. No one way is the way.

Personally I dive with two computers, one of which is normally set to my buddies mix. But that is because i am often the instructor, or I am diving a rebreather and my buddy is on OC. So I like to track my buddies likely decompression obligation on one of the computers.

We only had air computers when I first started diving Nitrox, so running the 'dive' on the computer (air), but breathing Nitrox is no issue for me. Irrespective, you should know your MOD, and dive accordingly.

 

[Gareth J]

This is a common suggestion, but I have never seen the point of it. I agree with scubadada. Why lie to the computer? If you don't want to go all the way to the limits, don't go all the way to the limits.

There is the other option of setting Nitrox on the computer and setting the conservative high. That would also work.

Its your personal preference on how you want to
add a buffer (be more conservative)

 

[boulderjohn]

Here are some numbers to show the difference between using air or nitrox for people doing gentle recreational dives.

In the winter I dive in south Florida, and I have a fill card that gives me a pretty good rate for any nitrox fill up to 36%, not much more than an air fill. (I used to use a shop that gave the same price for all fills.) Let's say I decide to do two reef dives to a maximum depth of 60 feet, which is a very common experience there. I will throw in one variable--the boat captain puts a one hour limit on your dives. Here is a comparison of doing them with a buffer (about 75%) on air and doing it with the same buffer (about 75%) on 36% nitrox. This is with a one hour surface interval. These are calculated using PADI tables.

Air:
First dive: 31 minutes + ascent. Second dive: 29 minutes + ascent. Total dive time: 60 minutes + 2 ascents.

Nitrox 36
First dive has a 78 minute limit, but I have to ascend before that because of the boat limit, so I leave the bottom at 54 minutes, less than 50% of my limits. I will be limited to 41 minutes + ascent for the second dive. Total dive time: 95 minutes + 2 ascents.

Totals
Air: 60 minutes total bottom time + about 12 minutes of ascent, for about 72 minutes total run time. 75% buffer at the end of the 2nd dive.
Nitrox 36: 95 minutes total bottom time + about 12 minutes of ascent, for about 107 minutes total run time at the end of the 2nd dive. 75% buffer at the end of the 2nd dive.

The above is with tables, which pretty much no one uses anymore. I did the above dives a number of times this past winter using a computer, a computer that told me the percent of NDL when surfacing. On every dive I came to the surface the moment I hit the one hour limit, so I had 120 minutes total run time, and I was rarely above 50%.

 

[tkaelin]

I am returning to diving after a long dry spell. I will be buying new equipment and will take refresher training. I am 65, in good health and cleared by the doctor. I've been reading about how some older divers use nitrox basically due to their age. I don't plan on doing any deep diving or several tank dives. Do any of you older guys use nitrox based on your age? Thanks.

Been there. Return to dive trips in 2009. Purchased some new equipment, computer, new reg and bcd and also discovered this new to me nitrox thing. Read up on it and did not seem necessary. DId a week long trip in Bon in 2009 and dove air. Great to be back. Read more about nitrox, including age and safety margins and got the nitrox cert and dove nitrox on my Bon 2010 week trip. Trips every year since.

My personal experience and view on nitrox is for week long trips, multiple dives a day I prefer nitrox. For a single dive here and there at home diving lakes in CT and shore dives in RI I use air. Anything in between it could be air or nitrox or a combination, depending upon the diving and availability. On week long dive trips in the Caribbean diving 18-25 dives a weeks, I feel less fatigued on nitrox and had the 2009 Bon air and 2010 Bon nitrox as my main point of reference.

 

[Boston Breakwater]

Hello. I have been using Nitrox percentages from 28% to 50% for 20 years. I don't know if it is Scientifically/Biologically "Proven." {Never really thought about it.}
But, When I dive air..........I feel more fatigued. I'm soon to be 55.
Any Advantages in Nitrox for older divers?
Cheers.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I base my diving on scientific facts, so I don't believe there is any difference in how divers "feel". It's too subjective. There is no magic elixir in nitrox.
I use it to increase my bottom time, or to shorten deco stops. That's all.