When to buy tanks?

[Sprocket]

I managed to pick up 3 HP steel tanks in a "garage sale" when A lady was selling off all her ex husband's toys for $60 for the lot. Unfortunately they're all odd sizes, so it means I'll need to buy at least one more to make a set of doubles.

Whether it makes economical sense to fork out the cash for tanks or not is questionable (I think our LDS charges $5 for tank hire on top of the fill, the cheapest I can get a faber steelie new for is about $300 - 400 and then I need to get it hydro'ed every year at $40 - 50). However, I much prefer diving my HP steel tanks to the AL95's the shop hires.

 

[mike_s]

Can you give me time differences between the hp80 hp100 and hp130?

time all depends on depth and your air consumption rate. Assuming that you stay at the same depth the entire time, the HP130 will give you 30% longer bottom time than an HP100.

Freshwater I only use 4lbs weight with al80

Will it over weight me in fresh water?

It depends. All depends on the tank, your body, your gear and your buoyancy characteristics/thickness of your wetsuit. my HP100's for example allow me to take about 4 to 6 pounds of weight off. in fresh water I just dive with no weight (with a 2mm shorty or a 3mm. with my 5mm, maybe I wear a little weight). In saltwater I need a few pounds of weight.

I doubt it'll overweight you more than a few pounds in freshwater, and prob not at all in salt water. but that's just my opinion. you have to do what works best for you.

Do you have problems with building up too much nitrogen since you are down longer?

Yes.

You have to be aware of it and not over do your NDL (No Decompression Limits) based on nitrogen loading.

most people who dive HP130's are typically diving it with Nitrox, which changes some of the nitrogen loading. gives you more NDL time. (depenind on mix and depth).

If you get a HP130, you'll want to take the Nitrox class. (actually it's a good class to take regardless of the size tank you buy).

hope that helps... -Mike

 

[openhelix]

Thanks for all the replies. For better or worse I want tanks even more! Anyone have a pair of HP100s in current hydro they want to get rid of?

 

[halocline]

I am completely new to this so... bare with me a minute...

I use a mark 25 reg... 5'10'' 200lbs and large lung capacity. Freshwater I only use 4lbs weight with al80

Can you give me time differences between the hp80 hp100 and hp130? Will it over weight me in fresh water? Do you have problems with building up too much nitrogen since you are down longer?

All of this is new to me so any help is appreciated.

Given those numbers, you will be overweighted with most steel tanks. In terms of figuring time, it's just linear. 77cf is 77% of the air in a 100cft cylinder. If you get a HP100, consider the faber FX100, it's the least negative of the HP100s. LP85s are neutral empty, so that would be a good one for you in terms of weighting, and if you can get an overfill you'll have a larger capacity tank.

Being a little overweighted is not that big a deal, but once you start getting more than a few lbs over, it's not fun and eventually can be dangerous.

 

[mike_s]

If you get a HP100, consider the faber FX100, it's the least negative of the HP100s. L.

I've got the FX100's and I'm happy with them, but if you have to pay the same money for a Worthington X7-100, I'd buy it. It's got a better valve and a better finish on it than the FX100.

As for buoyancy characteristics compared to the FX100, they are close enough as not to be a concern.


The Faber tanks I'd stay away from are the true HP100's that are 3180psi + 10%. Those are 14 pounds negative when full. (of course if you're diving a drysuit, you might want that extra negative weight. so they have their place for some folks).

 

[Sinbad the Diver]

My LDS offers a 10 fill card with the purchase of a tank. I bought a set of al80s and since the cost of renting 10 tanks is the same as buying 1 and getting it filled 10 times free my cost is equal for the first 10....after 10 dives I've cut the cost of air from $18 to $5 per dive and I have the convenience.

 

[tk trekers]

One of my LDS's made me such a great deal on AL80 tanks that I bought all 6 that they had in stock. I was looking to buy 2 used tanks and I asked about the cost of hydros and the owner made me the deal on the new ones that I could not pass up. I'm in a dive club that gives us free air fills so mine will quickly pay for themselves. I do see myself going to some steel tanks at some point but for now and the price I paid, the AL80's I have are just fine!

 

[Brian Sharpe]

My LDS makes owning tanks very attractive. When I bought mine the price included 100 free fills (air or nitrox) - pretty much a no brainer. He's since raised his price for fills so new buyers only get 66 free fills - still pretty much a no brainer for the convenience of having your tanks ready to go on a moments notice.

 

[mike_s]

My LDS makes owning tanks very attractive. When I bought mine the price included 100 free fills (air or nitrox) - pretty much a no brainer. He's since raised his price for fills so new buyers only get 66 free fills - still pretty much a no brainer for the convenience of having your tanks ready to go on a moments notice.

that's a sweet deal. almost makes the tank free.

I've always thought deals like that were smart for the LDS. why? because it makes the customer come back and back for so called "free" fills, where he buys another $20 to $200 (or more ) in accessories.

 

[fisheater]

I'm going to disagree with the "not cost effective" consensus, at least as it would apply to me.

If I figure in the gas cost of the extra trips I would have to take to pick up rental tanks (figuring that drop off and refill trips would equal out), I think that it's pretty even.

However, I just LOVE the convenience of being able to go diving whenever my schedule and conditions allow. Plus, there are very few steel tanks available for rental here in the North Coast area of California.

In short, I have absolutely no regrets having bought my tanks, and early on in my diving career, too.