Recommend Redundant Air Supply Tank Size & Setup for Solo

[tursiops]

He would need about a 20cf tank to come back from 60ft with 5min saftey....

That is the calculation HE needs to make, based on HIS SAC and risk tolerance. If he doesn't know how to do that, he should not be diving Solo.

 

[scubadada]

The advantage of making your own calculations. I need a 19 to spend a minute at depth at 130 feet, do a normal ascent, have a 3 min SS stop, at twice my average RMV. Average Gas Consumption Do your own calculations.

 

[happy-diver]

what mentors

Exactly!

Mate, I can dive using Clorox bottles for buoyancy, and breathe from them as well
as long as I get most of the bleach out first and pull my head from the sharks mouth

No what I think is that some people with no idea have been brainwashed into sidemount
in the most inappropriate places by the unscrupulous, costing most victims mucho dinero


No what I mentorlessly think is that a diver slips on an affixed tank and goes diving

Encumbering yourself with two full sized clipped tanks for one dive is a robot show

except for Marie13 of course in her lakes and mines, lucky girl


This guy is admirable

Another weirdo show and he knows it too, look what he's doing with his finger

So do you want a sidemount off mate? Well do you?

You and I are counterculturists, I belong here in the solo forum and here is Sidemount Diving


except for Marie13 of course because she would tear strips from my hide and probably slap me

See, this is Marie

Thanks Marie for keeping me in check

disclaimer:
I conduct all the above mentioned styles of activity also, and more
and also sometimes dress like a weirdo and not an everyday diver


So yeah sidemount in solo is weirdo

 

[Scuba Client]

I'm currently looking into a Redundant Air Supply for recreational diving, and the only thing I'm unsure about is what size of tank to get. I've researched this enough to know to stick to 19cu or above.

For Context:

• Most of my ~35 dives are solo, and around 30-60ft. I'm comfortable at 100ft other than lack of redundant air, or reliable dive buddy. I've been to 130, but it's not currently my intent to go that deep solo. The short story with solo-dives is the visibility/murkiness frequently drops to 1ft visibility and my main "dive buddy" is impatient, so I dive solo or not at all.
• Most of my current diving involves looting the floor of a murky lake-bed for sunglasses. I'll probably eventually get into technical diving, but that's probably 1.5+ years away. Travel isn't a primary concern at this time.
• Each trip is usually 2x dives, 1-hour, on aluminum 80s. I'm not concerned about gas management, I always have plenty of air. I am mostly concerned about potential for tank-valve/hose/regulator failure.
• Much of my diving is off a regular (non-dive) boat, with a small annoying ladder, which might make doubles difficult, but not impossible.

Looking at my options:

• 19 cu - would be the most streamlined, lightest, and least intrusive. The downside being I'd probably never use it for anything else.
• 30 to 40 cu - would potentially have additional uses for short/shallow dives (with a 3cf spare-air I acquired) or for when I get into tech-diving. Would a tank this size be relatively out-of-the-way when front-mounted while sunglasses-hunting? Is the size/weight between 30cf and 40cf noticeable?
• 80 cu (Doubles) - Double 80s, rear mounted, with independent regulators. I could refill both before each dive, and alternate regulators regularly, so each tank has similar PSI. My biggest concern is the weight and potential for back-injury, while climbing into or out of a boat on a small ladder a bunch of times.

A few questions:

• What are the pros and cons of front vs rear mount? Do people attach 30/40 cu bottles rear-mount?
• When running front-mount with a 30 or 40 cu, do you usually detach your spare-tank before climbing into the boat?
• Does anyone wear a back-brace (in addition to backplate) while scuba-diving with doubles? Or am I over-thinking it? I only just got a backplate this week, and I have twisted my back (lightly sore 1-2 days) while running a singles on a somewhat floppy BCD.

I would continue to use your 80 tanks. Sidemount is one way to go, since you stated you have a few lying around. A 40 tank is OK if you are going to use it for a bounce dive to depth. The depths you've quoted shouldn't concern you. In the worst case scenario (free-flow) you can unbuckle and flip the tank forward and feather the valve (on, off). This takes practice. Most divers who use 40s are CCR or OC technical divers and it's mainly with O2. This is to lighten the weight when you're diving extreme depths.

 

[SlugLife]

I wanted a 40cu, but I found a steal on a brand new 19cu.

It's worth noting that my typical dive would be in the 70ft to 20ft range. For that, an 80cu + 19cu is plenty. I don't plan on diving 130ft solo, but even then a 19cu would be enough to surface with mild decompression risks, which is better than drowning and/or getting severe decompression sickness. Where I usually dive, there's rarely anything interesting past 60ft anyway. If I planned to dive deeper than 80ft solo for more than a brief moment, then by all means I'm rolling with 2x 80s side-mount.

I would say you try it out, then purchase a SM bc and if you don't like it return it.. i would get an xdeep stealth cheers! <TG>

I found a Scubapro XTek for a great price. I understand the XDeep Stealth 2.0 is a little better....but I didn't feel like waiting for a deal. If I get real serious, I can always sell this one and upgrade.

Overall, I've finally bought everything I think I need for side-mount, and it's costing me less than $400 (harness, hardware, tank-mounts, BC, bungees, etc).

 

[Scuba Client]

I'm currently looking into a Redundant Air Supply for recreational diving, and the only thing I'm unsure about is what size of tank to get. I've researched this enough to know to stick to 19cu or above.

For Context:

• Most of my ~35 dives are solo, and around 30-60ft. I'm comfortable at 100ft other than lack of redundant air, or reliable dive buddy. I've been to 130, but it's not currently my intent to go that deep solo. The short story with solo-dives is the visibility/murkiness frequently drops to 1ft visibility and my main "dive buddy" is impatient, so I dive solo or not at all.
• Most of my current diving involves looting the floor of a murky lake-bed for sunglasses. I'll probably eventually get into technical diving, but that's probably 1.5+ years away. Travel isn't a primary concern at this time.
• Each trip is usually 2x dives, 1-hour, on aluminum 80s. I'm not concerned about gas management, I always have plenty of air. I am mostly concerned about potential for tank-valve/hose/regulator failure.
• Much of my diving is off a regular (non-dive) boat, with a small annoying ladder, which might make doubles difficult, but not impossible.

Looking at my options:

• 19 cu - would be the most streamlined, lightest, and least intrusive. The downside being I'd probably never use it for anything else.
• 30 to 40 cu - would potentially have additional uses for short/shallow dives (with a 3cf spare-air I acquired) or for when I get into tech-diving. Would a tank this size be relatively out-of-the-way when front-mounted while sunglasses-hunting? Is the size/weight between 30cf and 40cf noticeable?
• 80 cu (Doubles) - Double 80s, rear mounted, with independent regulators. I could refill both before each dive, and alternate regulators regularly, so each tank has similar PSI. My biggest concern is the weight and potential for back-injury, while climbing into or out of a boat on a small ladder a bunch of times.

A few questions:

• What are the pros and cons of front vs rear mount? Do people attach 30/40 cu bottles rear-mount?
• When running front-mount with a 30 or 40 cu, do you usually detach your spare-tank before climbing into the boat?
• Does anyone wear a back-brace (in addition to backplate) while scuba-diving with doubles? Or am I over-thinking it? I only just got a backplate this week, and I have twisted my back (lightly sore 1-2 days) while running a singles on a somewhat floppy BCD.

https://www.youtube.com/user/tmichura
This diver is one of the best in the sidemount business.

 

[Swedinsidemount]

I wanted a 40cu, but I found a steal on a brand new 19cu.

It's worth noting that my typical dive would be in the 70ft to 20ft range. For that, an 80cu + 19cu is plenty. I don't plan on diving 130ft solo, but even then a 19cu would be enough to surface with mild decompression risks, which is better than drowning and/or getting severe decompression sickness. Where I usually dive, there's rarely anything interesting past 60ft anyway. If I planned to dive deeper than 80ft solo for more than a brief moment, then by all means I'm rolling with 2x 80s side-mount.



I found a Scubapro XTek for a great price. I understand the XDeep Stealth 2.0 is a little better....but I didn't feel like waiting for a deal. If I get real serious, I can always sell this one and upgrade.

Overall, I've finally bought everything I think I need for side-mount, and it's costing me less than $400 (harness, hardware, tank-mounts, BC, bungees, etc).

LESS THAN 400?!?!?! I would grab it all and run, and the x-tex isn't bad at all, you can't go wrong with SM at that price good luck!!! <TG>

 

[Bowers]

Exactly!

Mate, I can dive using Clorox bottles for buoyancy, and breathe from them as well
as long as I get most of the bleach out first and pull my head from the sharks mouth

No what I think is that some people with no idea have been brainwashed into sidemount
in the most inappropriate places by the unscrupulous, costing most victims mucho dinero


No what I mentorlessly think is that a diver slips on an affixed tank and goes diving

View attachment 663337


Encumbering yourself with two full sized clipped tanks for one dive is a robot show

View attachment 663338


except for Marie13 of course in her lakes and mines, lucky girl


This guy is admirable

View attachment 663339


Another weirdo show and he knows it too, look what he's doing with his finger

View attachment 663340


So do you want a sidemount off mate? Well do you?

You and I are counterculturists, I belong here in the solo forum and here is Sidemount Diving


except for Marie13 of course because she would tear strips from my hide and probably slap me

See, this is Marie

View attachment 663341

Thanks Marie for keeping me in check

disclaimer:
I conduct all the above mentioned styles of activity also, and more
and also sometimes dress like a weirdo and not an everyday diver


So yeah sidemount in solo is weirdo

your post made very little sense. But ill say this:
Want to dive with no redundancy? Thats your choice. Twinset? Great. Sidemount? Awesome. I have no problem with pony bottles or twinsets (i use both regularly) but have a preference toward sidemount when solo diving and have never attacked your choices in diving but rather defended sidemount from false statements. Sidemount is a very viable option with many benefits even outside of wrecks and caves.

 

[SlugLife]

https://www.youtube.com/user/tmichura
This diver is one of the best in the sidemount business.

I've added him to my list/notes under "training" and I'll probably give that a look after I make it through sidemounting.com.

LESS THAN 400?!?!?! I would grab it all and run, and the x-tex isn't bad at all, you can't go wrong with SM at that price good luck!!! <TG>

Now that I somewhat add it up, it's closer to $300. $140 bladder, $115 harness plates, rings, triglides, $25 webbing, bungee, etc. $20 bolt-snaps & similar hardware.

This doesn't include tanks, regulators, flex-hoses, swivel-adapters, tools, etc which I either (a) already owned, (b) needed for other things, or (c) technically don't need for side-mount.

your post made very little sense. But ill say this:
Want to dive with no redundancy? Thats your choice. Twinset? Great. Sidemount? Awesome. I have no problem with pony bottles or twinsets (i use both regularly) but have a preference toward sidemount when solo diving and have never attacked your choices in diving but rather defended sidemount from false statements. Sidemount is a very viable option with many benefits even outside of wrecks and caves.

I understand critique, everything has it's ups and downs, but it does seem a little odd to me, that a solo-diver would attack side-mount so persistently.

 

[happy-diver]

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