Should I use Nitrox on liveaboard?

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Interesting thought about your tank being a mix of what's in it with what is added.

However, aren't all Nitrox tanks just used for Nitrox and not back and forth between air and nitrox? So this mixing and dilution wouldn't happen? Of course, private people might mix uses but I would think diveboat businesses wouldn't, very generally speaking.

And thanks for the new saying "chuffing the arse out of it"
 
Interesting thought about your tank being a mix of what's in it with what is added.

However, aren't all Nitrox tanks just used for Nitrox and not back and forth between air and nitrox? So this mixing and dilution wouldn't happen? Of course, private people might mix uses but I would think diveboat businesses wouldn't, very generally speaking.

And thanks for the new saying "chuffing the arse out of it"
Most (maybe every???) LOB that I have been on has had one tank per station. Typically, they will use a green cap to signify that it is filled with NITROX and a black cap if it is filled with air. To switch from one gas to the other is a simple process. Open the valve and let the tank drain then fill it with the other gas.

I have never seen a LOB that had a complete set of tanks for air and a second complete set of tanks for NITROX. They might have a couple extras including maybe a few 100HPs, but not 2 full sets.
 
Interesting thought about your tank being a mix of what's in it with what is added.

However, aren't all Nitrox tanks just used for Nitrox and not back and forth between air and nitrox? So this mixing and dilution wouldn't happen? Of course, private people might mix uses but I would think diveboat businesses wouldn't, very generally speaking.

And thanks for the new saying "chuffing the arse out of it"

I've done about 10 Red Sea liveaboard's and everyone is allocated a single cylinder (12 or 15l depending on want you ordered) on day one for the whole week. The nitrox is still filled by the same compressor it's just that nitrogen is extracted via the membrane. Technically using this system you don't need an O2 clean cylinder as long as the blend doesn't exceed 40%. It is however an issue for partial pressure blending, as pure O2 may be added first .
 
My dive buddy was caught in a strong down current along a wall in Banda which took him down to 42m with his BC fully inflated, then abruptly reversed and rocketed him upwards as he frantically tried to dump air.
He was on air, so survived OK... just a tad rattled.
On Nitrox it may have ended differently...

Quick dip is no problem. I made a quick dip to 144 ft (44 m) with EAN32 to take pictures of this guy, no problem.

4A1A8A7E-BD1B-4229-86FC-C5E630917C12.jpeg
 
About the only time a diver with good buoyancy control may abruptly lose their buoyancy is if they are caught in a serious downcurrent, in which case they need to get out quick no matter which gas they're using or if they're having a medical emergency. Otherwise, there shouldn't be any abrupt loss of buoyancy.
I've seen divers dropping their weights accidently...Did you mean upcurrent?
 
Going down too deep & too long on Nitrox, exceeding the MOD, “could” get some divers into oxygen toxicity situation, not the other way around. YMMV.

I was lucky enough to not experiencing it at 44m for 2 minutes. My buddy & DM were watching me from 30m. I wouldn’t push it & repeat it. That was one time deal when I saw that Zebra shark just sleeping underneath me, posing for that picture. :D
 
Diver may suffer gas embolism by going up too fast, but I’m not sure whether having Air or Nitrox makes a difference, as I’m not sure how fast the oxygen metabolized.
 
Going down too deep & too long on Nitrox, exceeding the MOD, “could” get some divers into oxygen narcosis, not the other way around. YMMV.

I was lucky enough to not experiencing it at 44m for 2 minutes. My buddy & DM were watching me from 30m. I wouldn’t push it & repeat it. That was one time deal when I saw that Zebra shark just sleeping underneath me, posing for that picture. :D

Oxygen toxicity, actually. There are some other threads that say it takes time to build, that it doesn't happen all at once.
 
Oxygen toxicity, actually. There are some other threads that say it takes time to build, that it doesn't happen all at once.
Exactly. My family history is pretty optimistic in relation to cancer and cardio, but not so good when it comes to lungs. So I'm avoiding too much oxygen (pardon me, I almost said molybdenum:))
 

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