philipvenero
Guest
im new to diveing wich tank is the best what are the different kinds and wich last the longest stuff like that and what ever else you want to ad
Tank Talk
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philipvenero
Guest
oh and what is the diff between low pressure tank and high and what is better
elan
Contributor
There is not thing like the best tank. Each has it's own advantages and disadvantages. One of the factors, to mention a few are: the water temperature you are diving, your body composition, your air consumption whether you double them up or not. those are only few
You can read some info here: How to Select a SCUBA Tank - Dive Gear Express it helped me when I was selecting
You can read some info here: How to Select a SCUBA Tank - Dive Gear Express it helped me when I was selecting
Scared Silly
Contributor
I would suggest reading the many many posts in this forum. Many of your questions and have been discussed ad nausium. Also they are so general that perhaps a trip to your local dive shop might be in order. And this is even though you might leave with more questions than answers but at least you will have some basis for those questions.
Last edited:
I never ever say this - but the search function is your friend. There are literally hundreds of threads on this issue.
rjenbody
Registered
Steel rules. A steel 80 is much smaller and lasts longer than an alum 80. I've got a steel HP 120 and I love it. Heavy it is, but I'm not running out of air anytime soon.
Brewone0to
Contributor
You live in cave country, so I would suggest finding a set of low pressure doubles.
Often times a set of double 95's-108's can be had for $500-$600.
If you separate them, it leaves you with 2 tanks.
Buy a pair of valves online, and sell off the manifold, bands, and bolts.
For decent brands this should result in a gain of $50-$150 for the trade out,
further reducing your overall cost factor. (just be sure that they will pass hydro test)
Using this method, you should be able to get a pair
of LP steel tanks for about what AL80's would cost you.
If you think I'm wrong about the LP steel tanks for your area,
just take a ride over to Luraville to "The Divers Outpost",
or go to Cave Excursions in High Springs and ask them.
BTW if you get "cave fills" in LP 85's, they hold just over 120 cu ft. each.
Low pressure tanks are what most people in your area end up
with for their buoyancy characteristics.
If you found them to be unsatifactory for you,
they would be the easiest tanks to sell off up there.
Often times a set of double 95's-108's can be had for $500-$600.
If you separate them, it leaves you with 2 tanks.
Buy a pair of valves online, and sell off the manifold, bands, and bolts.
For decent brands this should result in a gain of $50-$150 for the trade out,
further reducing your overall cost factor. (just be sure that they will pass hydro test)
Using this method, you should be able to get a pair
of LP steel tanks for about what AL80's would cost you.
If you think I'm wrong about the LP steel tanks for your area,
just take a ride over to Luraville to "The Divers Outpost",
or go to Cave Excursions in High Springs and ask them.
BTW if you get "cave fills" in LP 85's, they hold just over 120 cu ft. each.
Low pressure tanks are what most people in your area end up
with for their buoyancy characteristics.
If you found them to be unsatifactory for you,
they would be the easiest tanks to sell off up there.
NorthWoodsDiver
Contributor
Search is your friend and so is TDL's chart found here:
Scuba Cylinder Specifications from Tech Diving Limited - 928-855-9400
My $.02, buy an aluminum 80 with a 200bar DIN convertible valve for your first couple tanks, they are light weight, offer plenty of gas for recreational NDL diving (usually) and are cheaper then their steel cousins. oh and go with a paint free brushed or blasted finish IMO.
Aluminum 80's make great stage bottles if you move into technical diving, they are readily available at most shops, most places use them as their primary rental tanks, etc.
another good option are the old low pressure 72's (w/ 3/4" threads of course) or another favorite of mine is the Hp 100 or LP 104.
to answer about HP v.s. LP:
a low pressure tank is rated as "X" cubic foot based on a lower pressure usually around 2400 PSI. though that tank will only actually contain that rated volume of air if it is filled to its "+" rating of 10% over. so a low pressure 72 is only 72 cubic feet if its filled to 2400 + 10% or 2640 PSI.
a Medium pressure tank is generally not labeled as such but would fall into the 3000psi catagory.
a High pressure tank will be considered HP if its over 3000 PSI (I think) as some tanks are rated to 3442 and some 3500 and yet others are 3130 + 10%. Again a tanks volume (cubic foot) is relative to its pressure so that HP 100 can only contain 100 cubic feet if its filled to 3442.
With that said, a LP104 and a HP 130 are pretty much the same tank because at 2640psi they are both about 104 cubic feet and if you over filled that LP tank to 3442psi it would come in at about 130 cubic feet.
So I just said you can fill a LP tank to a pressure exceeding its rating, well true people have done this and do do this but its technically illegal and most shops wont to it. Is it safe? thats up to you to decide.
So why not go for a HP tank? Simply put not everyone will or can fill to that higher pressure so why buy a HP tank when all you can get are LP fills.
Why not buy the biggest tank I can find? because you probably dont need it. the added expense and weight doesn't usually warrant the huge tanks unless you move into deeper diving or extended bottom times. When you get to that level of diving you will know how much gas you use and what size tank to buy.
hope that helps.
Scuba Cylinder Specifications from Tech Diving Limited - 928-855-9400
My $.02, buy an aluminum 80 with a 200bar DIN convertible valve for your first couple tanks, they are light weight, offer plenty of gas for recreational NDL diving (usually) and are cheaper then their steel cousins. oh and go with a paint free brushed or blasted finish IMO.
Aluminum 80's make great stage bottles if you move into technical diving, they are readily available at most shops, most places use them as their primary rental tanks, etc.
another good option are the old low pressure 72's (w/ 3/4" threads of course) or another favorite of mine is the Hp 100 or LP 104.
to answer about HP v.s. LP:
a low pressure tank is rated as "X" cubic foot based on a lower pressure usually around 2400 PSI. though that tank will only actually contain that rated volume of air if it is filled to its "+" rating of 10% over. so a low pressure 72 is only 72 cubic feet if its filled to 2400 + 10% or 2640 PSI.
a Medium pressure tank is generally not labeled as such but would fall into the 3000psi catagory.
a High pressure tank will be considered HP if its over 3000 PSI (I think) as some tanks are rated to 3442 and some 3500 and yet others are 3130 + 10%. Again a tanks volume (cubic foot) is relative to its pressure so that HP 100 can only contain 100 cubic feet if its filled to 3442.
With that said, a LP104 and a HP 130 are pretty much the same tank because at 2640psi they are both about 104 cubic feet and if you over filled that LP tank to 3442psi it would come in at about 130 cubic feet.
So I just said you can fill a LP tank to a pressure exceeding its rating, well true people have done this and do do this but its technically illegal and most shops wont to it. Is it safe? thats up to you to decide.
So why not go for a HP tank? Simply put not everyone will or can fill to that higher pressure so why buy a HP tank when all you can get are LP fills.
Why not buy the biggest tank I can find? because you probably dont need it. the added expense and weight doesn't usually warrant the huge tanks unless you move into deeper diving or extended bottom times. When you get to that level of diving you will know how much gas you use and what size tank to buy.
hope that helps.
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