Hookah diving has been around for a long time. Google Weeki Wachee, I think this place has been open over 50 years. The main draw was the mermaid show where they breathed from hoses. I took my kids there a few years ago and you can dive the same spring and still see the mermaid show.
To say forget SNUBA and learn SCUBA is a narrow minded approach to an adjunct that will actually get you diving more.
My introduction to the underwater realm was via the Johnson Air Buoy. It was a small 2 cycle gas air compressor with two hoses, a mask that covered your nose, (to breath) with a snorkel valve. When you didn’t breath the air flowed out the valve. In 1969 Brownie introduced a floating compressor with hoses to a second stage. The Brownie Third Lung.
Imagine hunting lobster in Florida Bay, finding a nice hole full of bugs, then suiting up with tanks to efficiently collect all of the legal ones. OR. Fire up the brownie, pass down the regulator and collect your bugs. No tanks to take up room on the deck or running back to the dive shop for fills. The propaganda states you can dive to around 80 FSW but the limit I would set is 2 ATA, 60 feet. Plenty deep to see some nice reefs.
I have a hose assembly that allows me to use my BC with the power inflator from the brownie supply. Losing the weight of the tank makes multiple, shallow dives a lot easer.
If it’s easy, you’ll do more.
If you use ANY equipment that allows you to inhale air under water GET THE PROPER TRAINING. If you already have your c card, try it.
Frog Dude