Thoughts? Pony bottle to integrated octo / inflator?

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Fishhy

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Location
Jacksonville, FL
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I was pondering a 13 or 19cuft pony setup.
Anyone just attach it to an integrated inflator / octo setup to avoid additional hoses?
Obviously the downside is that I'd be using my octo air when I'm adjusting boyancy, but my purpose for it is otherwise as a bailout tank only not deco tank and I'm thinking as long as I have good boyancy control I'm not really wasting much air...

Thoughts?
 
I would recommend against it. It would cause odd hose routings, and mean having to refill the pony every dive. The practical aspects just don't make sense to me. Depending on how you plan to rig a pony (slung or tank mount), it also affects the ability to hand off a slung pony to someone else. Pressure gauges on a pony are generally only looked at at the start of the dive to ensure it's full... then it stays full until needed. If you use it for buoyancy, then you have a random, unspecified, amount in the pony at any given time.
If you're sold on the integrated octo when not using the pony, I would just leave it there (on your primary reg set), and either way just do a separate 1st and second stage pony reg. If you're trying to save money... the pony reg doesn't have to be expensive. Low end any brand will be perfectly functional... or you can get into used.
Respectfully,
James
 
Thanks for the response- it was more about reducing clutter than anything else - I planned on keeping my normal octo on my primary first stage since boyancy control while breathing from an octo / inflator is less than ideal.
 
Thanks for the response- it was more about reducing clutter than anything else - I planned on keeping my normal octo on my primary first stage since boyancy control while breathing from an octo / inflator is less than ideal.

If you want to reduce clutter, then eliminate the octopus and run the air 2 from the main tank. If you are using an AIR 2 (device) then you must practice with it and be 100% comfortable ascending while using it.

It is NOT a problem, if you think it is, then you have not practiced or don't understand how it should work.
 
If you want to reduce clutter start with a simple Backplate/Wing setup. There are easy and simple ways to stow your octo reg and keep a low clutter setup.

The need to re-fill your pony after every dive day is going to be a hassle. Unless you can easily fill one your own, it's not worth it.
 
Thanks for the response- it was more about reducing clutter than anything else - I planned on keeping my normal octo on my primary first stage since boyancy control while breathing from an octo / inflator is less than ideal.

If you want to reduce clutter, then eliminate the octopus and run the air 2 from the main tank. If you are using an AIR 2 (device) then you must practice with it and be 100% comfortable ascending while using it.

It is NOT a problem, if you think it is, then you have not practiced or don't understand how it should work.

This. IMO, pony to Air 2 connection would be awkward, and would be another hose to bump your left arm into... I would ditch the Octo on the main reg-set, run Primary 2nd stage and Air 2/Inflator, while keeping the pony setup as an entirely independent package.

One of the primary benefits of pony bottle is you can pass it off to another diver if they're the one OOG. Integrating it with your Air2 (or bc in anyway) would eliminate that possibility.
 
I was pondering a 13 or 19cuft pony setup.
Anyone just attach it to an integrated inflator / octo setup to avoid additional hoses?

I'd advise against for the same reasons as above. The only time I have used the inflator off the pony is when diving my old double hose which has no ports. I use little air because I have quite a bit of practice, and do not go as deep as I would with a full pony.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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