Nitrox the Wonder Gas

[adurso]

Just to throw another oar in the water: myself and other bashed up old dudes use high O2 mixes due to reduced vascularity as a result of significant trauma. Two schools of thought, one is that the reduced vascularity due to scarring will increase off gassing time in those areas, thus increasing the likelihood of a DCS hit. Higher O2, less nitrogen to offgas in the damaged areas. Second school of thought; reduced vascularity means less inert absorbtion therefore no offgassing risk.

I prefer to hedge my bets in this instance...the suggestion came from Ernie Campbell, better known as scubadoc...

 

[Tigerman]

The only reason I would use Nitrox is the extended bottom time. I have used it just for that purpose. The Nitrox tables, depending on the mix, allow for REAL and SIGNIFICANT increases in bottom time and allow for a greater safety margin if dived on an air profile. I still don't understand why all the argung. Is this disputed----greater bottom times, greater safety magin as described?

N

Not as far as im concerned its not disputed and its why im planning to take the Nitrox course if my diving turns out to be in favour of it. Currently however I mostly do shallow dives and rarely more than two dives a day, so its not really a necessity. In addition as far as i know there is nowhere to fill Nitrox in the middle of nowhere where I live. Infact, getting a regular air fill can be a challenge on its own

 

[DandyDon]

My bet is that someone has already beat me to this, but "IT WAS A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY".

My tanks are filled with air and my computer is used in either air or gauge mode. I was fooled by the same misrepresentations stated by the OP.

I had the exact experience. Nitrox was oversold as a miracle gas to sell me on taking the course. During the course you learn that the claims are BS but by them you have already invested the time and money.

Depends on what kind of diving. I hate having air divers even on the boat for deeper diving. I certainly don't want to buddy with one, but aside from that - the skippers will often impose longer SIs.

 

[Twiddles]

I seriously doubt I will ever find the need to use Nitrox based upon what I have read. If I ever do feel adventerous enough to get into tech diving, I suspect that would change but for now thats a ways off. Diving to 100' or more is not a common occurance for me either so dandydon you are safe from my noobness for awhile yet. I suspect most divers would be less than likely to accept a buddy who was on air if they were using Nitrox.

In regards to your SI statement if your truly using your gas to your NDL limit then your SI is the same as the guy on air from what I have read? I havent found myself sitting on deck itching to get back into the water and waiting on my SI yet, maybee that will happen later as well but I have dived 5 and 6 dives a day for two days and frankly I feel thats about my limit and my SI was never even close to being an issue. Of course, my average depth worked out to around 46' lol.

 

[Nemrod]

Nitrox is not tech and tech is a myth anyways. It ocurrs to me that some of you have not a clue as to what your talking about when it comes to Nitrox useage-no offense intended. Nitrox benifits are simple physics and laws of partial pressures which can be easily calculated. The facts are that Nitrox does allow significant increases in NDL for a given depth and greater safety margin if on an air profile. Any other percieved benifits are just that, possibly percieved. Those two alone are worth it to me. N

 

[Diver Dennis]

A slow respiratory rate with larger tidal volumes (slow, deep breaths) IS more efficient breathing, but it's mostly more efficient for eliminating CO2. Although oxygen diffuses more slowly than CO2, it is not necessary to prolong the period where air is held in the small air spaces to improve O2 absorption. Anybody with normal lungs is receiving enough oxygen from normal breathing within any range of exertion in normal diving. Nitrox is not necessary to increase the oxygen available at depth. The increased oxygen is the way to decrease the inert gas absorption and maximize safe bottom time.

Thank you Lynne.


I use Nitrox to increase bottom time, not for any other perceived benefits.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I suspect most divers would be less than likely to accept a buddy who was on air if they were using Nitrox.

Not me. I'll dive with air divers anytime. A lot of the people who dive Nitrox reach the end of their useable gas before the longer Nitrox NDLs would make them come up shallower. Most of my diving is solo so it does not affect me very often.


I like a 60 minute SI. It gives you a chance to relax and talk with the other divers.

 

[NJdiverTony]

I seriously doubt I will ever find the need to use Nitrox based upon what I have read. If I ever do feel adventerous enough to get into tech diving, I suspect that would change but for now thats a ways off. Diving to 100' or more is not a common occurance for me either so dandydon you are safe from my noobness for awhile yet. I suspect most divers would be less than likely to accept a buddy who was on air if they were using Nitrox.

In regards to your SI statement if your truly using your gas to your NDL limit then your SI is the same as the guy on air from what I have read? I havent found myself sitting on deck itching to get back into the water and waiting on my SI yet, maybee that will happen later as well but I have dived 5 and 6 dives a day for two days and frankly I feel thats about my limit and my SI was never even close to being an issue. Of course, my average depth worked out to around 46' lol.

No offense, but you obviously have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. If you did, you'd realize the benefits of Nitrox. It is NOT a waste of time or money, if you use it the way it was meant to be used. Your comment on the SI is also wrong. A Nitrox diver can get back in the water in a shorter amount of time vs. an air diver, due to the reduced amount of residual of nitrogen in your body. It's not rocket science...

Actually, since you dive shallow depths (as you mentioned)... Nitrox is MUCH more beneficial to YOU in comparison to air, as your NDL times are really elongated. At these depths actually, the NDL will not be your limiting factor... The size of your tank and how much gas you can carry on your back will be the limiting factor of how long your dive will be. For example... At 60 ft, your NDL time on air is 55 minutes. Using 36% Nitrox, your NDL time becomes 115 minutes!!! You'll most likely never reach this NDL on a single tank. Your SI will also be shorter and you can get back in the water and do another nice long dive sooner.

You keep arguing against Nitrox because of something your read, and you really don't even have an understanding of the subject, or how it really works. It's a tool, that if used properly can really enhance your diving. Also, Nitrox is not for "tech diving"... it can be effectively used by ANY diver that is trained in how to properly and safely use it.

 

[Scram Bulleggs]

Considering that there is still oxygen in the air we breathe OUT, I would assume that no, we can not use more oxygen from the higher mix.

I am not Nitrox certified and I know little about it other then the basics(just from reading here). A question I have is this. If your body can not absorb more O2 then it already does on air how does one get ox-tox? Thanks ahead of time.

 

[DandyDon]

I seriously doubt I will ever find the need to use Nitrox based upon what I have read. If I ever do feel adventerous enough to get into tech diving, I suspect that would change but for now thats a ways off. Diving to 100' or more is not a common occurance for me either so dandydon you are safe from my noobness for awhile yet. I suspect most divers would be less than likely to accept a buddy who was on air if they were using Nitrox.

Tech Diving? :silly: Nitrox is great for increasing NDLs on deeper, recreational dives - especially square profiles like Florida, NC, and St.Lawrence wrecks and for multi-dive days almost anywhere. The few trips I have done to dive Calf waters, I know it was not common then - probly still isn't, but on the other side of the US, very common, very beneficial.

In regards to your SI statement if your truly using your gas to your NDL limit then your SI is the same as the guy on air from what I have read? I havent found myself sitting on deck itching to get back into the water and waiting on my SI yet, maybee that will happen later as well but I have dived 5 and 6 dives a day for two days and frankly I feel thats about my limit and my SI was never even close to being an issue. Of course, my average depth worked out to around 46' lol.

No, at 46 ft, no need.

I have been assigned Air divers for wrecks dives who did not burn thru their tanks - ran out of NDL well before they ran out of air or before I ran out of either, but I ascended with them - cutting my dive short to be responsible.

And I have sit on boats bored because we had air divers doing the same dives as Nitrox divers, and the captain wanted to prevent problems. See my profile pic.