What size steel cylinder / tank should I get?

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by jbm
Appreciate any comments on these selections as well.
Again........Thanks for any imput.....appreciate it!

Hello JBM,

I have used AL and both LP & HP Steel. You obviously have learned enogh already to know that steel will be advantageous to you as a cold water drysuit diver..... But I wouldn't advise steel for diving with a wet-suit.

As for LP vs. HP steel....
You need to check with your LDS as to what kind of fills they will give you....

Personally liked the size and weight of the PST HP102 but found that I could take weight off the belt with a PST LP104.

If you fill your own tanks, dive nitrox or get into mixed gas tech diving then LP is the way to go. But for single tank rec diving I see nothing wrong with the HP as long as you can get the fills.

You did mention that tech diving might be in your future...
I almost hate to bring this up as it can cause controversy...
But I'd skip the BC and get a SS backplate, harness and a Halcyon Pioneer wing for single tank diving or a Explorer wing for doubles. Then whether you stay a rec diver, become a tech diver...or do both you will have the system that can handle it.

I would also get the cheaper Apex DS4 first stage and a TX40/TX20 primary and reserve second stages.

The Vyper is ok but it is very conservative... It does have the advantage of a guage mode where you can just dive the tables... but then most folks don't buy a computer for that....

I like wrist mount myself....
And I use a plain SPG with no boot or console....
Check my wet profile picture to see the set up I use....

 

[The Chairman]

BUT, I and several of my buddies here on the board use steel tanks with wetsuits. My tank of choice is an hp PST120. I dive them in my swim trunks right up to my 3mm Farmer John. I don't have anything warmer down here in Florida... WHERE IT IS A REDICULOUS 29 Degrees F!!!!

 

[Arduous]

I have to agree with NetDoc. I use steel 100’s exclusively and dive in a wet suit with them all the time. I also tend to do dives that are on the deep side ( Recreationally speaking ) 80 to 120 fsw. I do however dive with a Zeagle Tech BC with a 65lbs lift capacity and I carry a 50lb lift bag attached to my BC.

Dive Safe …………………..Arduous

 

[The Chairman]

Has redundant bladders... Even so, I could easily swim to the surface without ANY air in my BC at any time, so it's not an issue of bouyancy for me. I am very comfortable with what I use, and you should be too! Just because I, or another diver has an opinion about what is right/wrong, or safe/unsafe you need to do the research (here and elsewhere) and determine what is right for your diving profiles/conditions. No one (especially me) has a corner on the truth here.

 

[Scuba1]

Al tanks seems to ba a US thing in europe there are like 99% steel tanks in use. From 10 l to 18 l . I use 12 l as dubble and a 15 l whith an H valve as single all steel 225 bar. Dry in winter and wet in summer.

Michael

 

[large_diver]

I think the "only use Steel with drysuits" comment applies more to a double tank scenario vs. single tank diving. I too use steel tanks when diving "wet" (exclusively single tank diving). If you are carrying 2 big, negatively buoyant steel tanks, swimming up from deep depths in the event of a BC failure could be tough.

Another key issue to consider is the dry land weight of the tanks. In general, HP steels tend to weigh less than their AL and LP steel counterparts of the same volume. As a result, if you are able to get good fills, HP steels can be great rec diving tanks for single tank diving -- especially if you are doing a lot of local shore diving where you have to lug your tanks long distances, over rocks, up/down hills, etc.

The buoyancy of the tanks are also key -- in general HP steels tend to be the most "negative" followed by LP steel and AL (again, assuming same volume). When buying bigger HP tanks, they may be up to 10lbs or more negative when full. If this starts to represent the majority of the weight you are wearing, you may want to rethink your choice (since you don't want the majority of your weight to be non-ditchable IMHO).

Sea-Quest makes good rec BCs -- I think the Pro unlimited is overpriced, however. I own a Pro-QD and like it.

I'm a proud Apeks TX-100/TX-40 back-up owner. No direct experience with ATX-200.

I own a wrist mounted Vyper and SK-7 -- I am happy with both of them. One suggestion on the SK-7 -- get rid of the cheesy wristband it comes with and replace with some bungee loops.

No experience with that console. I have an Uwatec "Master Diver" SPG. Expensive, but well-made and with more precise markings than most SPGs. Like Uncle Pug, I have mine with no console/boot.
http://www.extreme-exposure.com/acc/gauges.shtml

Mounting picture (not my SPG, but same methodology)
http://www.northeastdir.com/images/pages/spg.htm

Hope this is helpful.

 

[Rick L]

I prefer LP steel tanks. Its hard enough to get a good fill on a low pressure never mind a high pressure around here!! Ive got 4- 95s
and 2-72s . 2 95s and the 72s where made in the 70s and pass
hydros and visuals with no problems yet (knocking on wood hehe)
But ive seen many alum. tanks fail . Some shops charge more to inspect alum. tanks here too. Also I dont like the hieght of alum. 80s hard to sit down! (hang below your butt)
my 2 cents Rick L

 

[Bob]

I agree the Net Doc and Rick L on this one, been diving single tank, LP steel tanks with 3 mil wetsuits for years. Currently I'm diving with LP 104's. I would have no problem swimming to the surface with a empty BC either. Too many divers are afraid of steel because of so much misinformation floating around out there. :tree:Bob

 

[Lost Yooper]

As you're a cold water diver with tech stuff already being considered, here's what I would recommend:

- Backplate/wing BC (perhaps a 36# Halcyon wing).
- ATX200/DS4 DIN with TX40 octo (a TX50 or TX100 will also do very nicely as a primary reg)
- 2 LP PST 104's (size doesn't matter much, but the 104's offer better negative buoyancy which is nice for drysuits when doubled -- I use LP95's) with DIN Sea Elite, Scuba Pro, or Dive Rite valve. These valves are modular in design and will allow you to adapt them to a manifold. Forget about the OMS valves. Get one left hand and one right handed valve for each tank. LP tanks allow for easier filling -- especially for some partial pressure blends (nitrox and trimix). I don't care for high pressure tanks. Do NOT double these tanks until you have a drysuit. They'll be fine as singles with a wetsuit.
- The Vyper computer is fine for recreational diving and with it's guage mode, allows for proper deco diving.
- Skip the console and just get a simple brass pressure guage (Uwatec, OMS, Dive Rite).
- Get a quality shell drysuit ASAP.

It's very easy to outfit someone who has a a vague sense of what they want to do and where they want to go. If you were to follow everything above, you would waste the least amount of money possible in the long run.

If you were a warm water wetsuit diver, I would recommend everything here except the LP steel tanks and drysuit. I would recommend AL tanks (80's) as they would be of better benefit in the long run (ie. if you were to go onto tech stuff). Double AL 80's are the way to go for wetsuit tech stuff and double LP steels for drysuits.

Take care.

Mike