Nitrox??

[cliffespada]

what all does the nitrox class consist of? is it all classroom? how long is the class? are there any dives involved in the class? just wondering... I am just open water... do you have to be advance? I could just call the shop here but really wanted to get everyones take on nitrox and see if you all think it is even nessesary. I have been getting mixed answers as to whether or not i should...
Any info would be very helpful.
Thank you,
Cliff

 

[Rainer]

Are you ending your dives because you're running low on gas or running low on NDLs? Nitrox helps with the second. If you're diving a big cylinder in the 60-110' range, nitrox can be quite beneficial. For example, at 100', using 32% gains you 50% more NDL compared to air (30 minutes vs. 20 minutes; again, you need enough gas to make use of that extra time). Given how much most of us spend on dives, the slight cost increase for nitrox can certainly be worthwhile for such dives (it's also quite useful for maintaining NDLs given many repetitive dives).

Classes are usually quite simple. Most agencies (not all) do not require dives. It's mostly some book knowledge, plus application (e.g. how to analyze cylinders).

 

[tstormdiver]

Generally you only have to be Open Water certified to take Nitrox. As for what it consists of, it depends on the training agency & to some extent, the instructor. Basically goes into what Nitrox is, maybe a little history, how it affects the diver, changes decompression needs (computer &/or tables), the advantages & disadvantages, how to properly analyze a cylider's contents, applicable rules & laws for marking cylinders & such topics. Some agencies may require dives, some may not. I teach SSI & you can do just the classroom & use Nitrox, or you can do the classroom portion & Open Water dives using Nitrox for it to count towards Adv. OW or Master Diver levels. Other agencies may have some differences.

Nitrox has 2 basic uses. 1. To increase bottom time & shorten Surface interval times by using Nitrox computers &/ or Nitrox tables & 2. To increase safety by diving it using air tables &/or computer. Basically, the body has less Nitrogen than is reported thus decreasing the risk of DCS. However, Maximum Operating Depths (MOD's), based on the concetration of Oxygen & Partial Pressures of the Oxygen at depth, must not be exceded.

 

[Hetland]

If you're doing nothing but shore dives in this area, then you can easily get by without it.

If you plan to get on a boat, then it's a different story. It's difficult to find a dive in this part of the Gulf shallower than 70ft (unless it's from shore), and I'd say most of the diving I do is in the 80-110ft range. Nitrox will generally allow you to get longer bottom times and shorter surface intervals.

 

[cliffespada]

Wow.... thanks so much for all the info!!! Super Helpful!!

I would like to do some wrecks but most of the dives I have been doing have been shore dives. They have been under 60'. I think I will go ahead and get it. I mean, you cant learn too much right...lol...
So, even though I do more shore dives, it wont hurt to use nitrox on those dives as well, will it? I know I will find all of this out in the course but just wondering....

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Wow.... thanks so much for all the info!!! Super Helpful!!

I would like to do some wrecks but most of the dives I have been doing have been shore dives. They have been under 60'. I think I will go ahead and get it. I mean, you cant learn too much right...lol...
So, even though I do more shore dives, it wont hurt to use nitrox on those dives as well, will it? I know I will find all of this out in the course but just wondering....

The knowledge is good and having the card does make sense. However using Nitrox when you don't need it will hit your pocket book. At my LDS it is $5 to $7 extra per dive for a single 80.

 

[redacted]

Nitrox is never necessary. But it does allow longer bottom times and/or greater safety margins if you find you are bumping against NDLs. Even when that is not the case, many (including myself) find they don't feel as tired when diving nitrox when doing days of repetitive diving. Even in a place like Bonaire where average depths are probably 30 ft and there is little reason to ever go below 50 ft, nitrox is my choice for gas. Many dive ops offer it free to certified divers and when you are doing 25 +/- dives in a week makes a difference. BTW, I noticed in my last trip to Bonaire that Buddy Dive was offering nitrox training for $99.

 

[Sortsol]

At my LDS it is $5 to $7 extra per dive for a single 80.

That's no joke...around here it's $12 more per tank...

 

[Dive-aholic]

Wow.... thanks so much for all the info!!! Super Helpful!!

I would like to do some wrecks but most of the dives I have been doing have been shore dives. They have been under 60'. I think I will go ahead and get it. I mean, you cant learn too much right...lol...
So, even though I do more shore dives, it wont hurt to use nitrox on those dives as well, will it? I know I will find all of this out in the course but just wondering....

It will hurt to use nitrox on dives shallower than 50'. It will hurt your wallet. There's no benefit to using nitrox at shallow depths. You will run out of air before you get near your NDL times. The best depth range for nitrox is in the 60-110' depth range. Depending on the tables you use, you could turn a dive at 60' from a 50 minute NDL to a 75 minute NDL. If your gas consumption rate can handle that, then it is well worth it.

Basically, nitrox works by eliminating some of the nitrogen in the gas thus decreasing the nitrogen uptake during the dive. This is why your NDL increases. Some people believe there are added safety benefits to diving nitrox while planning your dive on air tables, but there really aren't. If you're diving nitrox, then plan it as a nitrox dive. If you want to be more conservative then shorten your dive time. There's not point in trying to fool yourself by planning the dive using an air table.

Most agencies do not require dives and you'll find some classes that are classroom only. Personally, I like to see my students in the water so I usually offer nitrox as an add-on to another class so I can see buoyancy and skill level. Watch what you pay for the course. I've seen a lot of overpriced nitrox courses out there. It's a 2-3 hour class, depending on number of students in the class, plus dives.

 

[tstormdiver]

Basically, nitrox works by eliminating some of the nitrogen in the gas thus decreasing the nitrogen uptake during the dive. This is why your NDL increases. Some people believe there are added safety benefits to diving nitrox while planning your dive on air tables, but there really aren't. If you're diving nitrox, then plan it as a nitrox dive. If you want to be more conservative then shorten your dive time. There's not point in trying to fool yourself by planning the dive using an air table.

With all due respect, Rob, aren't the air tables or a computer put on air settings, generally more conservative (shorter dive times) than those reading, or set to Nitrox anyway? As long as MOD's are not violated, the O2 clock is no where near limits & the tissue Nitrogen loading is not as high as the computer or tables read,... isn't that a bit on the safer side? I realize that if you start a dive series like that, then it would be wise to adhere to that same planning for the entire duration of the series. Sure,... on shallower dives, you may be cutting your dives shorter than really neccesary & the advantages may not be that much, maybe even near negligable. I am in no way saying it eliminates all the hazards of DCS,... only not diving will do that. I frequently dive Nitrox with air tables or my computers put on air settings(weekends at the quarry). Depending on my buddies & my mood, I may do dives anywhere between 25- 100';doing 4- 8 dives for the weekend. If I do decompression diving there, I will, at times, even base my decompression schedule as if I have air in my back gas with O2 as final decompression gas, even though my back gas is 32% Nitrox. I will do the little bit longer stops as prescribed & finish up on my 20' & 10' stops, with the O2 (very rarely more than 15 min. total decompression time). I will even take the more extended surface intervals prescribed by the air tables or computers set to air, to keep things even safer. So, given that (less nitrogen), how is that not a bit safer from a DCS standpoint? The math seems to suggest it.