What air level indicates your dive is done?

[SwimJim]

As most of my dives are on wrecks and usually deeper then fifty feet, I subscibe to the rule of thirds. 1000 to go down 1000 on the wreck and begin acent with 1000. This will usually put me back on deck with 500 psi left with a three minute stop at fifteen feet.
Sure beats the old days when you had a J-valve instead of an SPG.:doctor:

 

[GDI]

:doctor:
The way i look at this is that you should of received some instruction on how to plan your dive, including gas consumption. But if you did not then you will learn. the truth is that the amount of air you have that decides when you need to come up is all based on your and your buddies breathing rate and depth of dive. consider that the deeper you go the more air you will want to make you ascent, in short you will ned to leave the bottom sooner than later based on your air remaining for those deeper dives. Remember that it is either air (gas) or bottom time that determines when the dive is over. Keep a log book to help you calculate your gas requirements

 

[mudguppy]

I don't know how to vote.

Well, I do ... it's just not one of the choices.

It Depends :tease:

 

[skipjack28]

This may sound crazy BUT.....
I start my ascent at 500 psi.
I want maximum bottom time.
You can make an ascent with no
air left which I have done on 1 occasion.
NOT RECOMMENDED.
If I get back to the boat with 50 psi
then I am happy.
All I need is to not empty the tank totally.
I have my own boat and do dive alone.
Remember you are alone even when
you are with someone.
If I reach 50 psi and am far from the boat
(ie.. strong current not according to plan)
I shut off my tank and surface swim.
But I learned in the navy in 1974.
This would be the extreme I think.

 

[got4boyz]

You are obviously new here, most people who have been around for awhile probably wouldn't admit to coming up with that little amount of air, knowing somebody would probably lamblast them for it! LOL

I usually have at least 100, but not often much more than that!

 

[skipjack28]

Its all about comfort level Beth.
I thought the diving alone would
get flames.
How about this. Forget the tables.
If I can get 20 min at 60 ft out of an A80
and the no decom limits off the old navy
dive tables is 60 min at 60 ft then.......
I can do 3 consecutive dives to 60 ft
and forget about the tables. When you
factor in up down and shallower and the surface interval between dives you still
don't have to worry about decom.
I guess I am old school.
Its easy its safe and simple.

Where do you dive?

 

[got4boyz]

skipjack28 once bubbled...
Its all about comfort level Beth.I thought the diving alone would get flames.

Yeah, that could happen too! LOL There's been plenty of discussions about diving alone, but LOTS do it. Me, only once, but probably would again if I couldn't find a buddy and was in a familiar place.

Most of my diving is in Cozumel. It's cheap and easy to get to from Texas!

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Most of the diving I do is wall diving which makes air consumption calculations a lot easier. Swim deep and into the current on the way out, turn around at a half tank and swim back shallower on the return trip. When we get back to the boat we usually putter around on the reef under the boat until one of us has 500 lbs. or a little less. Always a 3 minute 15 foot stop no matter what the computer says!

 

[DiverBuoy]

When I read:

When Im sucking the paint off the OUTSIDE of the Tank!

I thought it was funny till I saw that two idiots actually voted for it. Hope they have pony bottles and dive alone. Please don't bring anyone else into your sphere of influence.

 

[skipjack28]

That didn't scare me as much as the 3 idiots who voted for 14.7 psi.
Where do you live in ca.