Considering Nitrox Certification

[aubie85]

I am thinking about getting a nitrox certification. I heard that nitrox is much more 'refreshing' regular air, leaving the diver less 'fatigued' after diving. I was wondering if it is worth the extra effort(and money). Also, what gear (aside from the computer) will I have to 'upgrade' if I get nitrox certified?

 

[simonru]

I enjoy Nitrox very much! A lot of computers do Nitrox, before you upgrade check your manual. My Suunto Gekko has an easy to use Nitrox setting.

There are all sorts of anetdotal advantages.. but the big one for me is less exposure to nitrogen! So, shorter surface intervals are possible. Longer bottom times are possible, but if you're diving with air divers, then you just have an extra margin of safety.

Go for it.

 

[simonru]

Sorry. Forgot to say... most equipment is fine up to 40% O2.
You probably wont have to upgrade anything. Check manufactureres recommendations.

 

[diving_emtp]

I have a nitrox cert and I hardly use it...but I'm glad I have it just in case I need it. It is a course worth having.

As far as feeling less fatigued, it didn't happen for me. I fell asleep on the 2 hour trip back home after my nitrox certification dives.

As far as equipment upgrade, as others have already posted check the owner's manual. If you have relatively new regs they are probably nitrox compatible. If they are older regs, ask the LDS where you have them serviced...they can tell you if they are or aren't.

diving_emtp

 

[spectrum]

I am thinking about getting a nitrox certification. I heard that nitrox is much more 'refreshing' regular air, leaving the diver less 'fatigued' after diving. I was wondering if it is worth the extra effort(and money). Also, what gear (aside from the computer) will I have to 'upgrade' if I get nitrox certified?

Recreational nitrox will need no special gear as long as your regulator set is anything but an antique. That will cover you to 40% oxygen. Higher than that and you are talking more about deco gas.

Your computer really wants to be nitrox for ful benefit but the course should teach you how to make table dives. Some divers just dive nitrox as air and pocket the added margin of safety. There is an oxygen saturation limit to watch but you need to dive a lot in a short time before it becomes a consideration.

There is a lot of anecdotal information about being less tired after a nitrox dive and the lesser exposure to nitrogen would seem to make sense. Of course many divers also have their nitrox exposure while vacation diving with much less lead, neoprene and cold than they do at home so that muddies the water some. Last I knew there was no evidence that the gas had a refreshing or direct effect on your vitality.

IMO 2 big drivers for getting nitrox certified:

1. You are beginning to end dives because you are approaching your NDL

2. You have a dive intensive vacation planned and will be doing multiple dives per day for days on end.

Until you approach one of these milestones I would hold off. It's not complicated stuff but it's good to have it fresh in your mind when you start to actually use it.

If you are ending your novice dives weary consider:
1. Making your ascents very slowly, especially that last 20 feet or so
2. Avoiding needless ascents
3. Make sure you have adequate exposure protection

Pete

 

[bleeb]

I heard that nitrox is much more 'refreshing' regular air, leaving the diver less 'fatigued' after diving.

A common belief. However, it's a controversial one. There are also lots of people who believe it's mostly a placebo effect. The small number of limited scientific studies seem to lean towards the latter, with the real effect on comfort being either small or imaginary.

The only real and proven benefit is a lower rate of nitrogen on-gassing, whether you use this as a longer NDL or increased safety margin. Note that while theoretically safer, the common opinion from dive safety researchers is that the accident rate is already low enough that any improvement from using Nitrox has not been statistically obvious enough to actually measure (i.e. lost in the noise), so it hasn't been 'proven' that it really is safer, only that it's theoretically so.

You may also want to have a look at this somewhat noisy thread. Deals mainly with the latter, but it at least touches on other issues too.

 

[Rick Murchison]

The Lovely Young Kat says that Nitrox is wonderful, that she feels much better when diving it compared to air.
I say there's no difference.
She says that's 'cause I'm insensitive.
So...

Rick
War Eagle!

 

[Tom Winters]

Get the nitrox cert.

 

[mts0628]

Hi aubie85:

Tom Winters said it best.

There is nothing wrong with getting the certification even if you never use it, because the information that is presented is interesting enough. You will hopefully gain a better understanding of diving and diving the basics of nitrox and the benefits, hazards, and computations associated with diving it. There is nothing mysterious about nitrox but the simple perception seems to drive prices up for those who are uninformed and keeps the wary away.

I will not recommend an agency, as it is the instructor that matters most. There are peeps here than can probably recommend a good instructor for you in your location.

And finally, generally no special equipment needed (as an above poster mentioned). Get the class out of the way, and if you get tables with the class, I love to say use them! Plan your dive and dive your plan! The only consideration may be your personal tanks depending on where you get you tanks filled and more specifically how they fill them. Your tanks(s) may need a special cleaning if they add the oxygen first and then top off with air (partial pressure blending). I know of no one that uses this aside from home brewers but that is not to say that it isn't done in retail (most do continuous blending). But, know what you're talking about (be the informed consumer!) when someone tries to sell you on the black art of "nitrox cleaning" and the "this setup is specifically for nitrox..." tactics. Bah humbug!

Good luck and have fun with your class!

With kind regards,
Thomas

 

[Cave Bum]

I am thinking about getting a nitrox certification. I heard that nitrox is much more 'refreshing' regular air, leaving the diver less 'fatigued' after diving. I was wondering if it is worth the extra effort(and money). Also, what gear (aside from the computer) will I have to 'upgrade' if I get nitrox certified?

I've heard a lot of divers say that you 'feel better' after a dive on nitrox. Personally, I don't see a difference. The major benefit that I teach in my class is that you get more dives per day with nitrox. This is because a 100 foot dive on nitrox 32 is the same as an 80 foot dive on air as far as nitrogen loading goes. If you want to be able to do more dives in a given period, it's worth it, otherwise it's not.

As for gear, what the posts above said is true for everything except the scuba cylinder, if you have your own. For everything up to 40% no special cleaning is required. However, depending on if your LDS 'banks' nitrox or partial pressure blends it, you tank may or may not need to be specially O2 cleaned. If they are partial pressure blending, putting pure O2 into the tank then topping off with air to make nitrox, your tank, if you own one, will need to be O2 cleaned and not used with 'unclean' air banks (compressors supplying air banks used for nitrox partial pressure blending are okay).

Have fun and be safe in the water! Bruce