Upgrading to using a Pony tank.

[CharlieW.112]

I'm thinking about buying a pony tank to be used for redundancy, however, I'm not sure whether I need to buy only a new first stage and gauge, and connect my current secondary regulator to the pony, or if I have to stay with two second stages connected to my back mount cylinder and buy a whole new second stage just for the pony.

 

[grf88]

My preference is for an additional 2nd stage as on shallow dives I might leave my pony behind.

 

[digdug87]

My equipment setup has an integrated 2nd & a pony with an additional regulator set.

 

[Marie13]

This is what you need -

Pony
First stage
Second stage
40” hose
SPG - whether you put one on a 6” hose or get a button gauge that screws directly into first stage is your choice.
Stage kit to clip it to BC
Hose retainer strap

Leave 2nd second stage (octo) on your reg set. Someone else might need it. If you’re a new diver you’re not going to be diving solo - or I at least hope not!

Pony size - 19cft min in my opinion. 30cft is better. If you have tech aspirations, get a 40fft, as that is the standard size used for deco bottles and can be used later.

What BC are you diving? This is something that has to be considered. A lot of jacket BCs have D rings in all the wrong places and slinging a pony bottle doesn’t work as well as it otherwise would. It works best with a backplate and wing. I’ve slung a 30cft from the beginning. It’s the same diameter as a 40cft, just shorter. That means you just get a stage kit for a 40cft, which are much easier to find. I like the Dive Rite wide hose retainer best.

Edit - don’t get a crappy, cheap reg for your pony. If you need to use it, crap is hitting the fan. You want something that breathes nice.

 

[Coztick]

For me it's a necklaced 2nd from my pony and a long hose from the main cylinder.
I feel no need for 3 seconds.

 

[grf88]

For me it's a necklaced 2nd from my pony and a long hose from the main cylinder.
I feel no need for 3 seconds.

Do you side sling or tank mount your pony?

 

[almostDIR]

I have the long hose primary and necklace secondary from the main cylinder and the pony is on the left side with stage kit and the reg and hose just stowed like in a regular stage (except much smaller tank). the pony is apeks DST+left hand converted xtx50 (faster to switch to the pony if needed because one does not need to pull as much hose out than with right hand reg) . I bought that combo because of intending to use it with doubles and stages later and just convert it back to right handed then.
However I have not yet used to dive with the pony with my new bp/w set, will have to train more in pool to get comfortable with it. used to use it with jacket bc on every dive but it had different d-ring placement and it is a 3L steel tank so it affects weighting...

you should test the pony first in easy and safe environment to get used to it, it may affect your diving quite much at first. if the pony would be strapped to the main cylinder would not be that kind of problem I think

 

[Coztick]

Do you side sling or tank mount your pony?

I've gone sidemount so it's pony on the left and a single on the right for holiday rec diving.
Cheers, Kevin

 

[CharlieW.112]

This is what you need -

Pony
First stage
Second stage
40” hose
SPG - whether you put one on a 6” hose or get a button gauge that screws directly into first stage is your choice.
Stage kit to clip it to BC
Hose retainer strap

Leave 2nd second stage (octo) on your reg set. Someone else might need it. If you’re a new diver you’re not going to be diving solo - or I at least hope not!

Pony size - 19cft min in my opinion. 30cft is better. If you have tech aspirations, get a 40fft, as that is the standard size used for deco bottles and can be used later.

What BC are you diving? This is something that has to be considered. A lot of jacket BCs have D rings in all the wrong places and slinging a pony bottle doesn’t work as well as it otherwise would. It works best with a backplate and wing. I’ve slung a 30cft from the beginning. It’s the same diameter as a 40cft, just shorter. That means you just get a stage kit for a 40cft, which are much easier to find. I like the Dive Rite wide hose retainer best.

Edit - don’t get a crappy, cheap reg for your pony. If you need to use it, crap is hitting the fan. You want something that breathes nice.

I use an Apeks harness and backplate setup, it seems that it has the D rings in the right places to sling a pony and I was planning on purchasing the same regs for my pony as I currently use (Apeks XTX 100). Thanks for the informative reply!

 

[grf88]

I use an Apeks harness and backplate setup, it seems that it has the D rings in the right places to sling a pony and I was planning on purchasing the same regs for my pony as I currently use (Apeks XTX 100). Thanks for the informative reply!

If you are going with Apeks consider the XTX 50 with DST first stage as it will be better for hose routing.