What Size Tanks Should I get?

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by JT2
Thanks Pug, and I can't wait to learn that VooDoo stuff, quite honestly I didn't know if it was the VooDoo you had to learn, or if you just had to "use the force Luke". Either way, I am looking forward to learning it. Thanks

It isn't voodoo stuff... but there are considerations that the average single tank recreational diver hasn't even considered.

But using doubles carries with it the potential to grossly overstay your welcome and as cave diver pointed out... it is very easy to incure a deco obligation that you are not train nor equipped to handle.

But by all means if you have the $$ to spend on the tech gear go ahead... but it is better to spend the $$ buying education first or at least in concert with the gear purchase.

The doubles are actually one of the cheaper parts of the equation. They imply deco and that requires all the rest of the stuff to do that safely.

Read this thread and pay attention to Dr. Deco on the last page: http://www.scubaboard.com/t5492/s.html
see if you can figure out why a scooter could be an important adjunct to deco diving.

Some folk think that all they have to do is go out and buy a set of doubles... and that is just not the case.

BTW... Shane and I have singles rigs that we use for all of our non-deco/non-training dives even though we have all the rest of the stuff.

 

[jeepster0000]

I know that using doubles, a person can overstay their welcome. I am interested in deco training and will learn the proper procedures and techniques. I am an eager learning when it comes to diving, and I will listen to anybody that wants to teach me what they know, then later digest it to see if he knew what he was talking about. I really plan on futhering my dive education and use double as a tool to futher my education. I have used single tanks for every dive up to this point (besides a dive just to see how i liked doubles) I agree that all my diving has only needed singles up till this point, but I want to learn more advanced diving techniques. I know this is probably not one of the *best* answers for my wanting doubles. I am getting the equipment along with the instruction. I will not just throw on doubles and think that I have reached a new plateau in my diving ability.

The second part of the commets asked was about my partner. My dive buddy does pretty much everthing that I do. We breath almost exactly the same amount. We take the same training together so we are both familar with what the other knows. He is looking to take the same classes with me and is also looking into buying some doubles. If I get 95's he will too, same with 120's.

I hope this helps a little bit more, but I am still faced with the question of what size I should get????
Thanks for your help.

 

[Uncle Pug]

What training agency are you going with Jeepster?

I would suggest that you get the size tanks recommended by your instructor.

If you were persuing GUE tech or cave cert. then you would probably be looking to get PST LP104s.

 

[roakey]

Everyone’s done a good job on why we ask what folks want to do with them before answering.

Basically if you don’t know, get more experience until you do know what you want to do. If you do know, we can give you some information.

Let me give you three quick examples, if you have any questions as to why, ask away!

“I want to cave in Florida with my buddies that have steel 95s and 104s”

Easy, you [should] be diving dry, so I’d probably get 104s so when the folks that have 95s step up, you’re not forced into replacing yours.

“I want to dive caves in Mexico”

Get twin AL80s because you’re going to be diving wet.

“I want to dive the Andrea Doria”

Get a set of AL80s and a bunch of stages. Maybe even two sets of 80s. [questions on this one? ]

“I want lots of bottom time shallow to look for Megaladon teeth”

Get a really, really large single. It’s way cheaper.

Roak

 

[O-ring]

“I want to dive the Andrea Doria”
Get a set of AL80s and a bunch of stages. Maybe even two sets of 80s. [questions on this one? ]

I am guessing really high helium for the backgas (to make it more flexible as to depth usage/MOD) and then dive the stages, which will be properly marked for each planned depth, on the wreck and use the backgas if something happens and I run out of gas for some reason in the stage for that planned depth. I assume the 80's because they are the standard for ocean diving and why carry huge steel back mounted doubles when I am planning to use the stages as my primary bottom mix anyway.

 

[Spectre]

Originally posted by roakey

“I want to dive the Andrea Doria”

Get a set of AL80s and a bunch of stages. Maybe even two sets of 80s. [questions on this one? ]
[/B]

Ok Roak... I'm curious. Why Aluminum? The way I calculate that you'd have to add 4 lbs of lead for the second AL80, and then more lead for the stages [assuming aluminum stages]. Lets just say 2 AL80 stages, that's +12 lbs - 5lb backplate, that's +7 lbs going from a single AL80 to doubles with 2 stages. Adding that lead with the tank weight puts your gear upwords of 200 lbs.

Running the whole scenario with PST HPs80s, you knock a good 80 lbs off your back...

So... what'd I miss?