Hey, so I know that there are a lot of tank threads on SB, but I haven’t seen any that are for quite the same circumstances that I have. I am looking at getting my first tank even though I am a very new diver (about six dives). The biggest reason that I am doing this is because there is nowhere near where I live to rent tanks from, but I might be able to get a local fire department to fill them for me if I ask nicely. My brother is a certified diver and has been diving longer than me. He is likely to be the person that I dive with more often, and he dives an al80. I can’t decide whether or not to go with the same tank he has or go with a steel tank that will give me similar dive times as him. I have been looking at both, but never having bought a tank before I don’t know which style lasts longer and which will work better in this situation. We dive cold, fresh water for the most part with some hot springs mixed in at times.
Tank recommendations
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Scared Silly
Contributor
The defacto std steel cylinder is the HP100. Given you dive cold water I would recommend that as it will have better buoyancy characteristics over an Al80. By better meaning more negative thus requiring less weight on a belt (or wherever you put it).
An aluminum tank is much easier to take care of than a steel tank, and costs less. The AL80 is a "best buy," IF it holds enough gas. If you need a 100 cuft tank to "keep up with your brother", then a steel 100 is a much nicer tank than an AL100, which is big and heavy.
For cold fresh water, steels are probably the way to go.
If you can get fills to 3442 psi, an HP100 will give you about 25% more air in a shorter tank, that weighs the same or less out of the water, and allows you to use less lead.
Price is higher and availability is less, but worth it IMO.
If you can get Hot Dipped Galvanized versions and treat them right, the should typically last you for your dive career.
If you can get fills to 3442 psi, an HP100 will give you about 25% more air in a shorter tank, that weighs the same or less out of the water, and allows you to use less lead.
Price is higher and availability is less, but worth it IMO.
If you can get Hot Dipped Galvanized versions and treat them right, the should typically last you for your dive career.
It's about fit.
Bouyancy wise the HP 100 steel is hard to beat. For single its my preferred. However some people it doesn't fit very well.
Some like HP 120's but they don't have as good Bouyancy as the 100 and are very long so you need to be tall to use them.
So in short it's personal preference....... how tall are you?
Bouyancy wise the HP 100 steel is hard to beat. For single its my preferred. However some people it doesn't fit very well.
Some like HP 120's but they don't have as good Bouyancy as the 100 and are very long so you need to be tall to use them.
So in short it's personal preference....... how tall are you?
I am 6 ft tall right now
broncobowsher
Contributor
Modern fire departments can fill at a lot higher pressure. That is if they are modernized, or still running old gear.
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