What Color Tank Should I Buy?
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Part of the joy of owning aluminum is colorful tanks. Mine are bright purple. Everyone knows it's me when I'm getting fills lol!
In short: it's personal preference. Aluminum tanks aren't going to last forever like steel; buy something that brings you joy, and don't worry about it.
In short: it's personal preference. Aluminum tanks aren't going to last forever like steel; buy something that brings you joy, and don't worry about it.
tmassey
Contributor
Despite being your typical ‘serious’ tech diver, I honestly love the look of brand new exotically colored aluminum tanks. Candy apple red, metallic purple, electric blue… Whatever. Love it. Never mind the fact that I no longer dive single tanks or aluminum as my main tanks. They’re just gorgeous.
For about one season of diving if you’re a serious diver. Then they’re all scuffed and beat up, probably chipped and otherwise used-looking.
At that point, I would much rather have brushed or bead blasted ‘natural’ aluminum.
Besides, when you look in caves, particularly in tight areas towards the beginning of the cave, you’ll notice little splotches of color where people have smashed their “pretty“ painted aluminum stage bottles into the wall.
So I guess what I’m saying is, while I very much understand the appeal of beautiful tanks, natural aluminum is much more reliable and going to make less impact on the surroundings.
Of course, minivans are much more reliable and are probably most useful for the vast majority of people, but there’s still a lot of people buying massively impractical trucks or sports cars. In the end, it’s your money, do what will make you happy.
For about one season of diving if you’re a serious diver. Then they’re all scuffed and beat up, probably chipped and otherwise used-looking.
At that point, I would much rather have brushed or bead blasted ‘natural’ aluminum.
Besides, when you look in caves, particularly in tight areas towards the beginning of the cave, you’ll notice little splotches of color where people have smashed their “pretty“ painted aluminum stage bottles into the wall.
So I guess what I’m saying is, while I very much understand the appeal of beautiful tanks, natural aluminum is much more reliable and going to make less impact on the surroundings.
Of course, minivans are much more reliable and are probably most useful for the vast majority of people, but there’s still a lot of people buying massively impractical trucks or sports cars. In the end, it’s your money, do what will make you happy.
i vote for hunter orange
Still Kicking
Contributor
Used to have a customer who worked in Disney's scenery shop. Coolest custom paint jobs ever ... photorealistic watermelon, corn on the cob, hot dog, peanut etc. etc.
MyBuddy
Contributor
Just go with the natural AL. The paint is going to get scuffed and scraped and look worse for the wear. Some of that paint ends up on dive sites which looks crumby.
A point of view from a beginner: so you follow a group in algae rich fresh water, at distance of 2-3 m, but all you see are a few pairs of fins and one or two tanks. Who is who there? It's much easier to identify people in fresh water when they have some 'color code' within a group. Whether a tank is painted, dressed in a neoprene sleeve, or just has a ring of colored electric tape. Not so critical in salted water, but still useful, isn't it?
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