Nitrox Tank Question

[Dyin-To-Dive]

I just got certified a little over a month ago and I already want to get nitrox certified. I bought a tank recently and don't know what all I can use it for as far as the mixes go. I bought a Catalina 80 aluminum tank.

Do you have to buy a special tank just for nitrox fills, or can I use my Catalina tank for both?

 

[RJP]

No problem at all.

It may need to be 02 clean, depending on how the shop where you will have it filled does their fills.

All will be made known (including the mystical incantations) during the nitrox class.

 

[TSandM]

You can use any tank for Nitrox, so long as it is properly prepared.

There are several ways of making Nitrox, but one of the commonest is to put a small amount of pure oxygen into an empty tank, and then fill the tank up with air. In this case, the tank and valve have to be cleaned of anything that is flammable, because they will be exposed to pure O2. This is called O2 cleaning, and any shop that does partial pressure blending (which is what that is called) should be able to O2 clean your tank for you.

Once it has been done, you do have to be careful where you get your fills. Not all shops clean their air of hydrocarbons to Nitrox standards (they don't have to, if they don't pump Nitrox) so if you get a fill at one of those places, it may leave flammable materials in your valve that can cause problems for the shop where you get your Nitrox.

You will, as already alluded to, learn about these things in your Nitrox class. But the bottom line is that, properly cleaned, the tank you bought will be fine.

 

[knowone]

Ask for 'clean air' if diving air in between to retain nitrox integrity of the tank?

Well? Thats what I do here! Some nitrox capable shops run through different filters.

Am I repeating what was said directly above?

 

[k ellis]

the above posters were correct in that it must be o2 cleaned for safety reasons (As TDsndM explained) Nitrox is a great course and one that will reap many beniefits in the future of your diving career.

Im 99 percent nothing but nitrox diver but there are times when regular air would be better suited such as swimming pool practice or dives of 20 feet or less. I think the primary beniefits start at around 35 feet. But anyway these are all things that will be covered in class. .

And as RJP mentioned there are some things that will be said about nitrox that cant be proven one way or another but each diver has their own opinion on. I say this alot in my threads but there is a popular belief that diving nitrox has a refreshed feeling post dive. I personaly am in that category and its one of the many reasons I love the nitrox.

Good luck in the class and hopefuly we will hear how it went

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Various LDS will adhere to sometimes their own version of the standards. Some may require special stickers, special VIP or prostrate exams before filling. Others just fill and go.

The class should help you understand what is safe, which is different from what shops may or may not do. As others have said most any tank can be used if clean and inspected.

 

[Stu S.]

Hey, 777.

That question should be directed to your potential nitrox suppliers. Around here, there is only one shop that puts in oygen first. That's the previously-mentioned partial pressure blending. If you go to him, you need the tank and valve to be oxygen cleaned.

The other places blend the oxygen with air before it goes into the tank. At those locations, any tank is acceptable for nitrox fills up to 40% oxygen. Pre-blended nitrox has become the method of choice as partial pressure blending was a time-consuming operation. Many fill stations do 50-100 tanks daily, and pre-blended nitrox is about the same work as filling a tank with air.

Nitrox is a great advantage to us boat divers, as we can get a lot more bottom time. It also meant the aluminum 80's eventually had to go, as we now have enough bottom time for a 100 cu. ft. tank.

Stu.

 

[seaducer]

No problem at all.

It may need to be 02 clean, depending on how the shop where you will have it filled does their fills.

All will be made known (including the mystical incantations) during the nitrox class.

Ahhjejtt. You can't just go off spouting about mystical incantations! This is an open forum and now everybody knows!

 

[Dyin-To-Dive]

Thanks everyone for the great info! I can't wait to start my Nitrox Class!!!