a little about me.... recently certified open water, nitrox and peak performance buoyancy. with 7 total dives. I am planning on going diving at least two weekends a month.
1) I understand how it is bad to hold your breath if you are ascending, but why is it bad to hold it underwater? (if you are not ascending)
2) Is purchasing a tank worth the trouble? cost effective?
3) I am planning on buying a GoPro, if I buy the flatlens and install it. Will that negatively affect the picture quality out of the water? I am asking because I am planning on using the gopro for skydiving too.
4) I got a zeagle stilleto bcd, used. this guy at a dive shop told me I am missing some weight mesh bags that I am supposed to put inside the weight pockets. he said it should have come with the bcd, is that true? after looking online and couldn't find anything regarding that.
5) is it bad to workout after diving? i.e. go to the gym for a couple of hours and run a couple of miles or swim?
6) how many dives until a new diver should give advanced open water a shot?
1) It's about creating good habits. Holding your breath underwater when you're not ascending is not dangerous per se, but it becomes a bad and dangerous habit. Say you end up in a situation where you panic; if you're in the habit of holding your breath, then you might forget to breathe and shoot up to the surface.
2) Purchasing a tank... Nah. Not really. Even if you were to rent a tank, the cost of renting a tank is minimal. Obviously, if you'll be doing a lot of diving and are willing to get it visually inspected yearly and hydrostatically inspected every 5 years, then owning your own isn't a bad idea. But you can do without the hassles and still rent one without incurring much cost.
3) Not too sure. I don't own a goPro
5) For the type of recreational diving that you're doing. Technically, no. You'll still have residual nitrogen in your blood which may form into bubbles to result in DCS as strenuous physical activity is one of the factors that may cause DCS.
If you're doing regular, light exercise after diving, you should be fine, but I would avoid doing really intense exercise 24 hours before or after diving.
6) Doesn't really matter. Some divers do their Advanced immediately after their Open Water. Some people wait and do at least several dives before they do their Advanced. It all depends on how comfortable you are in the water. Open Water teaches you how to dive, the Advanced teaches you how to be a better diver.
With that said, there is no minimum dive number you need for you to do your Advanced, at least with PADI. SSI is a bit different. I believe you need at least a dozen to do your Advanced.
Hope that helps!
