Tank Dilemma

[chefchris]

Ok, I'm in the process of buying all my own gear. The main reason being the closest dive shop is 2 hrs away. :shakehead I've got a transpac on the way and will be purchasing the Dive Rite NiTek Plus this weekend. I've already decided on a reg & octo. Here's the deal ... I need a tank. I'm tempted to just get an 80 AL for now, just so I can get in the water. But I know I should purchase a steel. It's just taking so long to get all the money up. Now, you folks that have 80 AL's ... do you still use them or regret buying them? Are they handy to have around or should I just bite the bullet and save up?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[TravisD]

Just curious if you've spoken to the shop where you intend to purchase everything at and see if they'll give you a package price on things? When we bought our Regs and BC's, the package also included tanks and they were able to work prices to that the tanks ended up being a real steal. Sometimes this is a good way for them to get around their manufacturer minimum-price restrictions -- use something else in the package that isn't restricted to effectively lower the price on the other items.

Given the distance from a shop, where do you intend to dive? Are there fills available at whatever destination you intend to visit the most? If it's going to mean 4 hours of driving for every fill, I'd really say deal with the extra lead and get the cheaper AL80's, but get more of them. I love the buoyancy characteristics of the HP steel 80's we got, but sometimes I'd really have preferred to have gotten two AL's instead, especially when we've paid $15 for a quarry dive and there's no way to get fills on-site.

 

[xSandman3]

Buy a couple of used AL80s, dive em to death, sell em for what you paid for them, and buy steel. We've all been there, done that.

 

[chefchris]

Just curious if you've spoken to the shop where you intend to purchase everything at and see if they'll give you a package price on things? When we bought our Regs and BC's, the package also included tanks and they were able to work prices to that the tanks ended up being a real steal. Sometimes this is a good way for them to get around their manufacturer minimum-price restrictions -- use something else in the package that isn't restricted to effectively lower the price on the other items.

Given the distance from a shop, where do you intend to dive? Are there fills available at whatever destination you intend to visit the most? If it's going to mean 4 hours of driving for every fill, I'd really say deal with the extra lead and get the cheaper AL80's, but get more of them. I love the buoyancy characteristics of the HP steel 80's we got, but sometimes I'd really have preferred to have gotten two AL's instead, especially when we've paid $15 for a quarry dive and there's no way to get fills on-site.

just spoke to the LDS. he seemed pretty busy and just ended up saying "we'll beat anybody's price - as long as your brother doesn't own a dive shop".

I have two sites close to me - Moulton Quarry (2 hr) & Alabama Blue Water (2.5 hr) But I don't wanna have to pay for entrance fees everytime + gas when I have plenty of lakes in my backyard to keep me busy.

The local dive shop, which has been here for over 10 years and is 1.5 miles from my work, decides to shut down the same month I get certified. That's what I get for saying "What the hell is a dive shop doing here" everytime I drive by.

But I found a Fire Rescue Supply store that can fill tanks, so that problem's solved.

 

[ClayJar]

The whole steel thing is overrated (go figure). Sure, steels can be nice to dive, given the right setup, but it's just not *that* important to many of us.

Would a can light be better than my dinky lights? Sure! Would "real" drysuit undergarments save me a bunch of lead? Youbetcha! Would double steels give me more air than my single aluminums (while allowing me to take off some lead)? Indubitably!

As for me, however, I gladly chose to dive the dinky 4- or 8-C lights. I bought the $50-80 eBay fleece undergarments. I have aluminum cylinders. I decided I simply didn't need "the best", as "not quite the best" is still pretty darn good. The incremental cost vs. incremental benefit of going to "the best" is just too high for me to justify.

If I were planning to go full-cave, a can light would certainly be justified (and, IMHO, required). If I were doing ice diving in Antarctica, really expensive undergarments would be delightful, I'm sure. And if I were doing long deco dives, perhaps I'd be diving doubled HP130 steels. For my simple recreational dive profiles (and balmy temperatures -- haven't seen a leading three, at least ), I like my gear.


Anyway, all that to say, you have no dilemma. Buy an AL80 or so. If you go super-tech, you can always use it as a stage or deco cylinder, and if you want to get rid of it someday, that'll hardly be difficult. There are some people who might look down on you for diving aluminum, of course, but better to find out who they are early so you know to apply the zealot discount to their advice.

(Blue Water's fun, by the way, but I still haven't managed to fix the printer about 80' down by the pipes. )

 

[Gil57usa]

Buy a couple of used AL80s, dive em to death, sell em for what you paid for them, and buy steel. We've all been there, done that.

After I bought my Regs, BCD, etc. I bought one AL80, then another. Now I have two more that are doubled up, Two steel 80S doubled, a steel 98, two stage bottles, a BP/Wing, etc., etc,.........You will be surprised how fast you can accumulate gear, even on a tight budget.

 

[jpsexton]

People probably get tired of me saying this but I actually prefer AL80's. For my recreational diving I easily get over an hour with plenty to spare and when I go off to some exotic tropical location It's no change in equipment configuration. If you ever do need steel the AL80's will be easy to sell.

 

[Homunculus]

well, you need to fill your tanks anyway. how are you planning to do that if your LDS is 2 hrs away? if you end up going there for air fills you might as well rent tanks there. again, depending on how often you're planning to dive - if it's not too often, you can go with the rent option and save up for steel tanks. if you have a place to fill tanks closer than your LDS, then maybe used AL tanks is an option.

 

[chefchris]

well, you need to fill your tanks anyway. how are you planning to do that if your LDS is 2 hrs away? if you end up going there for air fills you might as well rent tanks there. again, depending on how often you're planning to dive - if it's not too often, you can go with the rent option and save up for steel tanks. if you have a place to fill tanks closer than your LDS, then maybe used AL tanks is an option.

But I found a Fire Rescue Supply store that can fill tanks, so that problem's solved.

it's about 2 miles from my workplace.

 

[Damselfish]

well, you need to fill your tanks anyway. how are you planning to do that if your LDS is 2 hrs away? if you end up going there for air fills you might as well rent tanks there. again, depending on how often you're planning to dive - if it's not too often, you can go with the rent option and save up for steel tanks. if you have a place to fill tanks closer than your LDS, then maybe used AL tanks is an option.

actually, if you did have to go so far to fill tanks that might be more of a reason to own - lots even. If you're renting you have to return the tanks, so 2 trips. If they're yours you could at least get them filled at your leisure.