Steel vs. Aluminum tanks

[Ryan Nelson]

I started diving with an aluminum 80 because they are cheap and readily available, but as I got more into diving steel became more appealing. Steel is ~neutrally buoyant, you get more volume with less space, higher possible pressure and the list goes on. I'm new to this forum, but most people in pictures and posts seem to be using the standard aluminum 80. I just spent 6 months in Monterey and aluminum seems to be the preferred tank, but also spent 6 months in San Diego and steel seemed more popular. Does water temp factor into your decision?

I tried the search function but nothing on this specific topic came up.

 

[Tigerman]

Steel is not neutrally bouyant, its negative and stay negative for the duration of the dive. Aluminium tanks tend to start negative and turn positive when the gas is used (the AL80s iirc its something like 70-100 bar where they go neutral)..

 

[Ryan Nelson]

Yea I didnt know the exact buoyancy of steel so I used the ~ sign before. Thanks for the correction though.

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[Drin]

I just spent 6 months in Monterey and aluminum seems to be the preferred tank

Really? I've been living in Monterey for the past four months and leading tour groups for one of the local dive shops. The only time I see aluminum tanks used (myself included) is as deco bottles or bailouts (on my rebreather). It's steel all the way. All the shops around here are the same way - nothing but steel tanks to be seen.

-Adrian

 

[Ryan Nelson]

Bamboo Reef has only a couple steel rentals that I know of. Most people I've seen at breakwater use aluminum. No big deal, I was referencing that due to the difference in water temperature between San Diego and Monterey as a possible factor.

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[Tigerman]

Much of the reason why al80s is so much used is as you point out that they are cheap and easilly available.
They are also a size and weight thats manageable to most and they are a good fit capacity wise for typical "resort dives" which tend to be ~60 minutes and 30m or shallower multilevel profiles..

As to water temp being a factor, yes it could be.
Steel tanks require carrying less weights on your belt, which is handy when using thicker suits (or drysuits) and higher capacity tanks is also often a good thing to have as more weight and bigger suits can lead to higher air consumption. Being cold also mean your body work harder to keep the core temp up, which by itslef increase the need of oxygen..

 

[Drin]

Seven seas has 50 steel tanks, no aluminum. Aquarius are all steel. All the divers I've interacted with (probably 90 or so) are wearing steel. The instructors I've met are all diving steel...

The temperature factor is part of the reason for steel, but it's indirect. Diving colder water requires more thermal protection, which means more weight is required. It's easier for most people to carry that weight as part of their tank than in lead in their BC pockets or on their weight belt.

-Adrian

 

[Ryan Nelson]

Drin,
Makes sense thanks.

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[maniago]

You guys are diving the left coast which is cool. Us-uns on the Altantic side, LDS wise, pretty much see AL80s all the time. Steelies you'll see more in personal gear rigs. Its a cost issue for the LDSs - the one I work for has hundreds of Al tanks, no steels that I know of. But if you can afford steel, I would buy it. I have 6 of them and only my ponies are AL. Just saying...

 

[Ryan Nelson]

I was also trying to fill a 3500 psi steel here in Tucson and none of the local dive shops could fill HP tanks and stated that they never get steel tanks in to be filled.