Surface finish on new Faber HDG tank

[TooCold]

I ordered a new Faber hot dipped galvanized HP100 online, and it was just delivered. I'm surprised by the look of the surface finish.

My one other HDG tank (not Faber) has a nice uniform smooth pebbly surface finsih, and I don't remember seeing anyone else's steels looking like this (but who looks that closely at others' tanks). If this were a painted tank, I'd say it looks exactly like significant rusting underneath, bubbling the paint.

Is this common with Faber HDG tanks?
What do you think causes this?
Is it a problem? Long term?
Would you buy a new tank that looked like this?

 

[Still Kicking]

I think it's just a poor finish on the underlying steel. Some tanks are rougher than others. The galvanizing looks good and should protect the steel regardless.

You might send some pics to the place you bought it and get on the record with them in case there's a problem with it in the future but I doubt there will be.

 

[Marie13]

A blind diver could read it!

 

[rhwestfall]

New design to reduce cam band slippage?

 

[TooCold]

I think it's just a poor finish on the underlying steel. Some tanks are rougher than others. The galvanizing looks good and should protect the steel regardless.

I'm wondering about wear - as the tank gets slung around the high points are going to take most of the wear over the years, and the steel shows through and becomes a potential rust problem. Or is this just "new buyer" anxiety?

You might send some pics to the place you bought it and get on the record with them in case there's a problem with it in the future but I doubt there will be.

Good advice; will do. I have to contact them anyway since they put the wrong valve on it. Also reminds me how much I prefer buying local whenever possible - but in this case the best price locally is more than $200 extra.

 

[TooCold]

New design to reduce cam band slippage?

Ha! Also made the boot really really snug.

 

[greeniguana]

It's probably extra zinc, not flaws in the steel. I had some tower regalvanized that came out looking like that. Still doesn't seem like it should make it out of QA/QC. I'd keep it if they took 50% off.

 

[Compressor]

It's not of any concern as its cosmetic. They could have made a better more refined finish though.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

It looks to me like the zinc is just lumpy. No big issue, the zinc will still do it’s job.

 

[TooCold]

So right after posting here on SB, it occurred to me to go to the source - in this case XS Scuba, Faber cylinder distributers in NA. I sent them a detailed query, and (amazingly) got a detailed and informative reply just one hour later. Kudo's to XS Scuba.

As many of you have pointed out, it's just excess zinc. Thanks everyone for the reassurances. Time to get the new tank wet. In case this might be useful to anyone else, here is what XS Scuba said: