Nitrox or Air for 3 days dives?

[tbone1004]

@Doby45 it's not always about best mix. Quite often it is about cost/convenience/benefit. If I'm diving at Peacock, I get air fills. Why? The depths are 60ft, and the cost of fills don't make sense to fill with EAN32. I might have a 5 minute deco obligation instead of stay in NDL's, but that doesn't matter to me. It is a valid question because you have to weigh the cost/convenience/benefit of diving nitrox vs. air.

 

[Doby45]

@Doby45 it's not always about best mix. Quite often it is about cost/convenience/benefit. If I'm diving at Peacock, I get air fills. Why? The depths are 60ft, and the cost of fills don't make sense to fill with EAN32. I might have a 5 minute deco obligation instead of stay in NDL's, but that doesn't matter to me. It is a valid question because you have to weigh the cost/convenience/benefit of diving nitrox vs. air.

I guess you could go with that, but in the same token this is Key West, not the middle of some crazy remote area. The very depths that he asked about are the text book case for using Nitrox. So gas is readily available, depths call for it (I mean good Lord we got people that will not go below 100' without He). So I still say my question/point is valid and is not overly critical or mean. Nor was it intended to be critical or mean.

 

[AdivingBel]

It also depends on who you're going out with. The upper key ops should have nitrox readily available. Definitely use it on the wrecks especially if you're doing a double dip. If it's a wreck & reef, use it on the wreck then air on the reef bimble, it won't matter. As you move to the lower/middle, slower keys (you mentioned the T-bolt, a deeper dive as well as the A. Busch, they are the exception), as it's mostly shallow reef diving, nitrox availability may not be as standard. They may list it on their websites, but their standard,shallow dive profiles don't support it and you may get a "deer in headlights" attitude because their regular customers don't ask for it often. Some of the ops can get pretty conservative if they don't know you and may insist you follow their dive brief time wise and you won't get the benefit of longer NDLs. Not saying that's how it should be, but it can be the reality. The safe bet is to have a good conversation with your dive op of choice before you book if nitrox is that important to you. Have a good trip & safe diving.

 

[Neilwood]

Any time I am looking at multiple dives per day I would be thinking nitrox even though I am normally gas limited (just) as opposed to NDL limited on air.

Unless it is stupidly expensive compared to air fills or difficult to get then it is a no brainer to me.

 

[safetysausagespecialist]

How is it you took the Nitrox course and you don't know what your best mix would be on these dives? We are not talking Trimix here just plain ole basic nitrox. One other quick point, if you were not going to use nitrox, why take the course?

I took Nitrox Course two years ago since I did a 5-day liveabord and eveyone was nitrox diving in the group. I live in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and unfortunatelly don't dive often.

So I went to read again my PADI Manual and being conservative came to this great board of ours to gather your imput on this.

I think AdvingBel gave some good tips. There are going to be other people in the group, probably some diving Air and I should plan and talk with the dive op before.

Thanks so much everyone on this.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Make a list of the reasons not to use nitrox for those planned dives.

Exactly. The only reason NOT to use Nitrox is to save a couple of dollars per tank. If the OP is flying to Florida from Brazil, I don't think a few dollars is going to be the difference between making or breaking his budget.

 

[BoltSnap]

Nitrox with the appropriate mix for the maximum anticipated depth.

 

[htatton]

If available I dive nitrox

 

[NAM001]

Nitrox. I suggest you et a book and do some reviewing and serious thinking about nitrox. I say nitrox because of 3 dives a day and them being deep. You wont get much benefit if you push the ndl however if the other divers are diving air you will be limited to their ndl. With that you will have a much better SI offload. If allis diving nitrox then it tt is a wash as SI goes but then you neill have to use nitrox as to not e the one with the shortest ndl and being the one to call the dive when everyone else still ahs 10 min to go.

 

[KevinNM]

Nitrox, just know your 1.4 ATA pO2 depth and don't go below it. If a given dive is deeper than that then get an air tank/fill.