Some questions are rhetorical
Your calculator works fine, your application of probability theory doesn't
Anyway, that's a topic for another thread
pony or spare air?
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Some questions are rhetorical
Your calculator works fine, your application of probability theory doesn't
Anyway, that's a topic for another thread
Crush
Contributor
You will next have to decide:
- What size
- How to mount it (tank or slung)
- Keep your octo on the main tank, or get rid of it/move it to the pony?
- How to instrument it (SPG screwed onto 1st stage, SPG on hose, or no SPG)
- How often to practice with the pony
- What fill options you want (gas mix)
- What fill options you want (in terms of filling it with gas)
The first consideration is very important. I dive a 19 cu ft. Some swear by smaller and some swear by larger. Read, do research, and make an informed decision. I sling as opposed to tank-mount - again, lots of reading for you to do. My rig looks a bit like this: DIR-diver.com - Stagebottle rigging . I dive an octo and a pony concurrently. I would strongly recommend practicing pony deployment and stowage once each diving day. I fill with air (rather than nitrox). In order to allow me to practice regularly I keep the pony topped up from my main tank using a device such as this: Tank to Tank Equalizer With Gauge reviews and discounts, IST .
Safe diving!
GrumpyOldGuy
Contributor
FWIW: I actually have an H2Odessy, I added a hose (cost me $10) to overcome this issue. It is still a bit small (6 cu ft) so the operation envelope is limited and thus only used rarely when I travel by air and don't want to hassle with a larger tank or know I have to trans fill.
You are responsible for your gear selection and in the end, do what you know to be correct based on your environment, availability of good buddies, etc...
My opinion is at 12 dives most new divers need to work on the basics and you should be avoiding situations where you might need an RAS rather than to jump in with even more new gear.
Dive safe and have fun.
FWIW, here's what I would suggest considering what we know about the OP from this thread, since he has decided to go with a pony bottle (not sure I agree with that but who am I to say):
1. 40cuf - if you do deco dives later it will still be good for that, but it's not too big to be a pain to carry above or under water
2. Slung - more versatile
3. Keep your secondary on your backgas - not sure why you would do anything else
4. SPG on hose - easier to read, more versatile
5. Every dive - can't hurt, will help
6. Air - no reason to use EAN
7. Depends on what options are avilable, but I wouldn't suck fill out of my back tank unless there was no other option - pony's a backup not primary supply in this instance
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GrumpyOldGuy
Contributor
Here we go again.... The OP has not decided to go with a pony, in fact he has not been on this thread for a week. He essentially functioned as a troll, we all took the bait as usual and have entertained ourselves.
So what do you know about the user other than his stats (12 dives, AOW, lives in So Cal) that leads you to make this advice?
Here we go again with what??
By "OP" I meant the person that made the original post that mpetryk was responding to
Actually I wouldn't suggest a diver with 12 dives get a pony at all (thought I implied that already). Frankly I think it's a bad idea. But I'm not the Scuba Police and if he insists on doing so based on reading this thread, that's up to him. One more person telling him not to probably isn't going to change that decision
If you disagree with my suggestions on size etc, feel free to say why
By "OP" I meant the person that made the original post that mpetryk was responding to
Actually I wouldn't suggest a diver with 12 dives get a pony at all (thought I implied that already). Frankly I think it's a bad idea. But I'm not the Scuba Police and if he insists on doing so based on reading this thread, that's up to him. One more person telling him not to probably isn't going to change that decision
If you disagree with my suggestions on size etc, feel free to say why
As a new diver... your best source of redundant air IS your buddy. Work on your buddy skills rather than try to throw money at a skills issue. In fact, take that money and spend it on some more instructor time. 
GrumpyOldGuy
Contributor
Tortuga,
^^ See, we are actually in agreement to some extent (pony for new divers is generally not a great idea). Both the OP (original poster who started the thread, new diver, 0-24 dives) and the poster Mpetryk responded to (12 dives) are very new divers.
It is not that I think your recommendations are wrong, but some of them may not fit other divers depending on their environment and objectives. Its like recommending how much weight a diver needs based on their body weight - you might be right, but often not. Too many other variables.
Example: The 40cu ft recommendation makes sense if you are going tech or planning cold & deep wrecks and you are diving local. However if the diver is planning travel, it is useless as it is very difficult to transport and a smaller bottle may be better while still sufficient for typical NDL dives. There are a lot of options and the best recommendations are made after you know the environment, not when you are blind to it.
^^ See, we are actually in agreement to some extent (pony for new divers is generally not a great idea). Both the OP (original poster who started the thread, new diver, 0-24 dives) and the poster Mpetryk responded to (12 dives) are very new divers.
It is not that I think your recommendations are wrong, but some of them may not fit other divers depending on their environment and objectives. Its like recommending how much weight a diver needs based on their body weight - you might be right, but often not. Too many other variables.
Example: The 40cu ft recommendation makes sense if you are going tech or planning cold & deep wrecks and you are diving local. However if the diver is planning travel, it is useless as it is very difficult to transport and a smaller bottle may be better while still sufficient for typical NDL dives. There are a lot of options and the best recommendations are made after you know the environment, not when you are blind to it.
Like I said - it's what I would suggest for one particular individual based on my personal opinions, and the limited information available. It wasn't intended or stated as gospel, nor is it universally applicable
GrumpyOldGuy
Contributor
I took it as a blanket statement. Maybe I was wrong, been there before, will be there again.
So what do you know about the individual to make all these specific recommendations to "one particular individual" rather than a blanket statement ?
He made 1 post.....
Somehow from all of this I have decided to get a pony w/reg.
Though I do like the idea of a small unit I do not like the way the Spare Air/H2Odyssey have a stiff mounted reg as it seems this would cause some confusion in an ooa situation, i.e having to grab the whole bottle instead of just a reg on a hose.
Get Wet!
His personal description....
Just finishing up advanced diver training and with only 12 dives under my belt, am newbie to the world of scuba. Yet somehow, it feels like home
Edit for clarity: 12 dives is not the time to start using a pony in general. For a new diver, I would hesitate to make any recommendations regarding pony gear and if I did I would certainly want to know a lot more about the diver, his environment, his goals and reasons before spitting out specifications.
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