Ok, this is probably very basic, but since I've only used aluminum 80s, I would like to know what is a good steel tank for diving warm water(ocean). I dive a 3 mil suit with a steel back plate and a 17lb wing. I would like a tank which holds more volume than an aluminum 80. I apreciate any help I can get from those of you with experience, and I thank you in advance.
what is a good steel tank for warm water
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I use a steel tank in warm water; partly because that is just what I ended up with (they were being sold cheap), but I also appreciate the fact that (i) I need less lead on my belt, and (ii) they hold more gas than my Al80s.
If you have a steel backplate and a steel tank, you may be able to skip the weight belt entirely.
If you have a steel backplate and a steel tank, you may be able to skip the weight belt entirely.
Jim238
Registered
I'm also diving a 3mm full wet suit and use a steel BP and single tank adapter, a 32lb wing along with a LP 95 cylinder and need no additional weights.
mksmith713
Contributor
Ditto.
2/1 shorty, AL BP, HP 120 and no weight belt here and still a pound or two heavy.
I'm just about right with a full 3mm.
2/1 shorty, AL BP, HP 120 and no weight belt here and still a pound or two heavy.
I'm just about right with a full 3mm.
Jan Kruger
Contributor
Depending on your size- i weigh about 102 kg ( 1,83 m or 6 feet) and use a Mares Dragon AT BC with bouyancy lift of 22,5 kg /49,6 Lb.The Bc has integrated weights and i use 2 kg in total when diving in the ocean with a steel cylindre volume of 18 litres. What i like about the steel cylidre is that the weight of it stays constant whether it is full or empty. Rumor has it that as the air in the Aluminium cylindre decreases, the diver's bouyancy changes.Diving with an 18 litre steel cylindre affords me sufficient down time whether diving at 20 metres or at 40 metres.
Safe diving !
Safe diving !
Jan Kruger
Contributor
Correction i dive with a 15 litre cylindre not the 18 litre as stated before !
Jan Kruger:
That happens with any tank. Air has weight. As you use the air, the total weight of your tank decreases by the weight of the air used. If you use 6 lbs of air you've lost 6 lbs of air and it does not matter if that air was stored in steel or aluminum. The laws of physics don't change depending on what material was used in making your tank. The difference between steel and aluminum is a steel tank will typically be about 6 lbs negative when full and neutral when empty while an aluminum tank will typically go from about 4 lbs negative when full to 2 lbs positive when empty
You could check out this thread, also.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/347762-what-look-new-scuba-tank.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/347762-what-look-new-scuba-tank.html
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I use a Transpac with Travel wing and a PST HP120, no weight needed. Naked with an AL80 I need about 6 lbs. The HP120 will however cover cover an XL 5mm, so with a steel backplate you'll be rather heavy... Actually, a lot heavy.
Scuba Cylinder Specification Chart from Huron Scuba, Ann Arbor Michigan
There's a pretty good list there of tanks. I'd try a LP108 or so. I like the HP120's since they have the 7.25" diameter so my cam bands don't have to be adjusted. HP100's may also work pretty well. Don't forget about the large difference in weight between empty and full... Try a bunch of tanks out in a pool if you can. Won't necessarily correlate to salt, but it'll be close.
Also consider that with a 17lb wing, you don't have a whole lot of wiggle room since you have 6 or 8lbs on your backplate depending if you have a steel STA or not, so that leaves you 9lbs MAX full, preferably 5 or 6. If you look at that chart, you'll realize that no steel tanks of a large ish size cover that... That wing was designed to be used with an AL80... You'll need something in the 30lb ish range to move into large steel tanks. Even then you won't be sitting high and dry on the surface. You'll have your head out and that's about it
Scuba Cylinder Specification Chart from Huron Scuba, Ann Arbor Michigan
There's a pretty good list there of tanks. I'd try a LP108 or so. I like the HP120's since they have the 7.25" diameter so my cam bands don't have to be adjusted. HP100's may also work pretty well. Don't forget about the large difference in weight between empty and full... Try a bunch of tanks out in a pool if you can. Won't necessarily correlate to salt, but it'll be close.
Also consider that with a 17lb wing, you don't have a whole lot of wiggle room since you have 6 or 8lbs on your backplate depending if you have a steel STA or not, so that leaves you 9lbs MAX full, preferably 5 or 6. If you look at that chart, you'll realize that no steel tanks of a large ish size cover that... That wing was designed to be used with an AL80... You'll need something in the 30lb ish range to move into large steel tanks. Even then you won't be sitting high and dry on the surface. You'll have your head out and that's about it
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