Putting together a Pony Tank

[eth727]

Okay I just bought a steel 30cf luxfer pony tank. I know I need a reg,1st,2nd stage,hose and press gauge. Will any yoke reg work? or get octo reg? any recommendations for a particular reg to use?
Thanks

 

[idocsteve]

So many questions, so little time.

My suggestion is to bring that pony to your Local Dive Shop and get advice and the "maintenance requiring life support equipment" such as regs, from them.

You might spend 10% more but being sure you got the right stuff that's been serviced properly is well worth it.

 

[Scared Silly]

Okay I just bought a steel 30cf luxfer pony tank. I know I need a reg,1st,2nd stage,hose and press gauge. Will any yoke reg work? or get octo reg? any recommendations for a particular reg to use?
Thanks

First, question is it steel or aluminum? You wrote steel but say it was made by Luxfer. As such, probably aluminum. Always helps to know what you have so you can get a proper fill.

My suggestion would be to buy a reg that is the same brand you are currently using so that when service is needed both go to the same place. Further, buy a descent reg as remember it will be used during some sort of OOA situation so you want a reg that will breath nicely to restore some balance to the situation. Depending on what your current reg is you might want to use it as an opportunity to upgrade and put your older reg on pony duty. As for a pressure gauge, just buy one those little button gauges.

Next you will need to figure out where to keep it. A bottle that big is better off slung like a deco bottle. If you want to back mount it there are lots of bracket options. - Do a search on both as they are widely discussed.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Store the tank someplace dry for about a year or 50 more dives, whichever comes first. Not trying to bash ponies (have and use at times) or new divers (we have all been there). At -024 dives, you have other more important skills to polish rather than mess with a pony.

 

[idocsteve]

Store the tank someplace dry for about a year or 50 more dives, whichever comes first. Not trying to bash ponies (have and use at times) or new divers (we have all been there). At -024 dives, you have other more important skills to polish rather than mess with a pony.

If you take this bad advice you'll be diving at least 50x without a redundant air source that you're ready and willing to pay for and use. If you run into a low or out of air emergency, which is probably more likely for a newer diver, I hope the last thing you aren't thinking is "Damn why did I listen to that OldGrumpyguy on that internet forum who told me to throw the Pony bottle in a closet?"

There's nothing inherently complicated about using a pony, like anything else it takes some practice.

Good to see some new divers getting right into some of these additional available resources. I only started using a pony in the past few years, before that I had a Spare Air cylinder which I maintain is better than nothing but definitely inferior to a Pony Bottle for most recreational diving applications

 

[Dr Wu]

Okay I just bought a steel 30cf luxfer pony tank.

Not likely.

 

[idocsteve]

Not likely.

I'd take it up a notch to "damn near impossible"

 

[awakefie]

Not likely.

Yeah, I'm guessing your tank is Aluminum.

When I started playing around with Pony bottles I started toting them along to pool sessions my LDS was having. It's a good stage for playing around and learning in good vis. You might even figure out that you hate lugging it around.

I'm not anti-pony, just like the idea of training. The best piece of gear in the world won't help as much in an emergency as the calm and cool attitude you can gain with training.

 

[muddiver]

Go to the following link DIR-diver.com - Stagebottle rigging and also follow the advice from Scared Silly.

There is absolutely no reason to have an octo regulator on a pony/stage cylinder, unless you are asking if it is better to use a second stage regulator that is marketed (designed, maybe?) specifically to be used as an octo/safe second regulator. Then I reccomend you use the same second stage regulator as the one you have and get it de-tuned so it will not free flow by it self. Or just unscrew the octo you have on your current regulator setup and screw it on to a seporate first stage regulator for the pony.

Yoke is just as good as DIN, it just depends on which valve you have on the cylinder. Personnally I use a Poseidon Xstream Oxygene regulator which was design to be a stage cylinder regulator for decompression. It only has three ports (three points of failure) for the second stage regulator, and a pressure guage.

 

[wxboy911]

I went with an OMS Workhorse-It rumored to be pretty tough and the price was right. I use a button gauge on my first stage and I keep is slung on my left side. It took a bit of practice diving with it but I am glad I have it. Just about any reg will do...Talk to the guys at the LDS and see what might be on sale. Last years leftovers are still good when you get into an OOA situation at 90 feet.