Single Tank?

[Paulmal]

If you have the cash put a post on the want to buy at the deco stop and here and people will let you know what they have for sale. I just bought a set of 104's and am in collage so steel tanks is not out of the reach of us broke collage kids.

 

[Peter_C]

Are LP Steels favorable for singles diving? I could see how splitting up 95's would be pretty easy.

Most of the shops around here fill partial pressure (Orlando), and I've been told to watch out with HP tanks, because some shops have problems filling to that pressure with pure oxygen. Thoughts?

Thanks guys!

Danny

I have HP100's and am very happy with them, but sometimes I do get a short fill. Other times...dang they pump them up!

The issue with partial pressure blending is the tanks are going to need to be o2 cleaned. If you were to buy new tanks they should come already cleaned. If you check around the first o2 cleaning for used tanks might be around the $100 range. Now if you can find a shop with banked nitrox that is a nice way to go.

 

[k-valve]

I looked at Catalina AL 100's a while back, but they're huge (tall, as well as 8'' diameter), and they have an operating pressure of 3300 as opposed to 3000 for an AL 80. I don't think the 8'' diameter will fit in the tank racks of commercial boats.

Yeah, those things are huge and heavy for the amount of air you can get into one. I wouldn't recommend them for singles or doubles.

If I get AL 80's, they might be able to get doubled up later.

I guess this depends on the type of diving you're doing. If you're not going deep (past recreational limits) they're fine. Otherwise I'd suggest something you can get more back gas into.

Steels sounds nice, but WAY too expensive for a college student like myself.

You can find good used tanks on eBay, Craigslist, diving boards, etc. for reasonable prices. Look for those with fairly recent manufacture dates and current hydros. You might have to have them inspected ($5), O2 cleaned ($40), and/or hydro tested ($40). Just include those costs when you're looking at a used tank to buy.

I want all of my diving to be on Nitrox from now on, if possible.

Al and steel require O2 cleaning for nitrox fills...as do your regs. The nitrox piece isn't nearly as much of a factor as the others that have been discussed in this thread IMHO.

What do I recommend? All my back gas tanks are steel. I like the fact that I can get a lot of air in them and how they help me trim out. I have LP85s for my doubles...about 225cf with a 3500psi fill. They're relatively small and light. My two favorite singles are a LP85 and a HP120. For a single tank the HP120 is pretty nice. Not too heavy or long and holds just over 122 cf of gas when full (3500 psi). Compared to an Al 80 the tank is less than 2" taller, about 8 lbs heavier, and has the same diameter. I know a couple of guys who have tried my HP120 and have then gone out and bought one for themselves.

I lot of folks like either LP85s or HP100s because of the capacity and size:weight ratio. Here's a link to a page that has specs on many different aluminum and steel tanks:

Scuba Cylinder Specification Chart from Huron Scuba, Ann Arbor Michigan

Be sure to consider the differences between the weight of the tank empty as opposed to full as that may affect how much weight you'll have to add to your belt. Personally, I don't add any weight to my belt with my steel tanks unless I'm diving a thick wetsuit or a drysuit. I do have to add weight with aluminum tanks.

Good luck!!

 

[ianr33]

If you decide to go with the Al 80 you can get a new one shipped to your door for $170
Scuba Tanks, Aluminum 80's, Pony Bottles, Spare Air Bottles, Steel Cylinders

Lots of uses for an 80 later on. Dive it,double it up,use as a stage or sell it

 

[MBH]

If you have the cash put a post on the want to buy at the deco stop and here and people will let you know what they have for sale. I just bought a set of 104's and am in collage so steel tanks is not out of the reach of us broke collage kids.

Dear God!!!
I can only pray that you attend a Florida or Alabama "Collage".

 

[Scubastud16]

Dear God!!!
I can only pray that you attend a Florida or Alabama "Collage".

Hey! Not cool. Check the stats, FL schools kill in just about every category

 

[shark.byte.usa]

Hey! Not cool. Check the stats, FL schools kill in just about every category

"Kill" being the operative word

-Garrett

 

[Nemrod]

I really love the two Faber LP 85s I got. They are 7.0 inch diameter, are neutral when empty and not terribly heavy. They wil make a great doubles set someday. For a cheap tank for warm water use it is hard to beat aluminum 80s and they can be used for stage etc latter. I just bought an aluminum 63 for beach diving, light and cheap and plenty of bottom time for us skip breathers.

The, I am gonna dive nitrox from now on, hmmmm, well, that does not make sense really, everything in it's place and nitrox just does not do much for yu at shallower depths and it is a touch expensive. I know your pain though having to have a dedicated nitrox tank(s) and then air tanks. I wish they all did pre blended fills and then there would be no real need to have O2 cleaned tanks. N

 

[Scubastud16]

The, I am gonna dive nitrox from now on, hmmmm, well, that does not make sense really, everything in it's place and nitrox just does not do much for yu at shallower depths and it is a touch expensive. I know your pain though having to have a dedicated nitrox tank(s) and then air tanks. I wish they all did pre blended fills and then there would be no real need to have O2 cleaned tanks. N

The EANx this is more of a personal preference. The shop back home does banked fills, so O2 cleaning isn't necessary, and I get a discount because I work there

I also have a notice a tangible difference in how tired I am (or lack there of) after diving EANx vs. Air.

 

[Scubastud16]

"Kill" being the operative word

-Garrett

Pardon my 19 year-old diction. Would "excel" suffice?

Danny