What type of GAS do you dive?

[MaxBottomtime]

I chose air as my default gas since I use it the most, but I have also used trimix, nitrox and on planned decompression dives I use 50% nitrox and 100% O2 when needed.

 

[Ann Marie]

Just got Nitrox certified recently. I have been diving Nitrox because I like the fact that I seem to have more energy after the dives than when I dive 21%. I've gotten my fills at Laguna Sea Sports and on the dive boats Lois Ann (supplied their own steels) and the Horizion (both boats out of San Diego). Wouldn't it be great for the Long Beach boats to catch up and offer nitrox too???

I would rather pay the $$$$ for the EAN (I do get free air fills) than deal with needing a nap after diving. God knows I've wasted more ($) for less.

My thoughts as far as the dive reports go, unless specified by the author then the dive reported was on 21%.

 

[jerryn]

Nitrox 32% and trimix+deco gases depending on the dive. Air is the gas of last resort and I do not use it very much.

Jerry

 

[Frank O]

Being the Koolaid-quaffing type , I try to use 32% as my standard gas for recreational diving. I'd like to try 30/30 (nitrox with some helium mixed in) in the 70 ft+ depth range, but haven't been able to schedule a Rec Triox class yet.

Ocean Safari in San Gabriel (which also happens to be the closest LDS to my house) does nitrox fills by continuous blending -- so, as is the case with membrane systems, they don't require O2-cleaned tanks or valves. The downside is that their compressor will only fill to a little over 3000 psi, so my E7-100 high-pressure steel tanks turn from 100's into 90's.

I've also gotten many fills from Scuba Toys in Cypress. These are always very accurate and never short. Main downside for me is it's a longer drive. They do partial-pressure filling, so O2-cleaned tank/valve is required.

Though a nitrox aficionado, I don't know that listing the mix in dive reports is very meaningful to other divers ... for my money the most important stuff is the factors that other divers would experience such as temp, vis, etc.

 

[Frank O]

Wouldn't it be great for the Long Beach boats to catch up and offer nitrox too???

One of the local captains told me recently that he doesn't see a payoff in installing an onboard nitrox system -- too expensive, and he doesn't see it bringing in enough customer base to justify it. If he had a windfall, he says, he's put it into beefing up the engines to truck across to Catalina in an hour as some of the smaller boats do.

 

[ChrisM]

Liveaboard with 20+ dives in a week = EANx 32

Day boats/beach dives = Air

Ocean Adventures pumps EANx through a membrane, I am told

Sea Bass (small but fast boat in LB) pumps EANx

Chris

 

[Mo2vation]

Liveaboard with 20+ dives in a week = EANx 32

Day boats/beach dives = Air

Ocean Adventures pumps EANx through a membrane, I am told

Sea Bass (small but fast boat in LB) pumps EANx

Chris

I gotta call Steve. If OA does Membrane, I am so there.

Gotta throw more love to Big Wave Dave at the PacStar - they do PPB.

---
Ken

 

[PhotoTJ]

They do membrane fills on the Peace, out of Ventura, as well. That, plus the hot tub, puts it in serious contention for the best boat in SoCal, in my book.

 

[wedivebc]

air diluent fixed PPO2 so at ~ 100ft it will be 32%

 

[ScubaDadMiami]

Why not go with what is optimal under the circumstances? Where the dive calls for trimix, use trimix. When it calls for 32, use that.