Do you own your own tank just for home use? Cleaning and testing your gear?

[SlugLife]

I have numerous tanks, but I also use them for diving.

If you want a tank for misc non-diving purposes, a single tank is fine, and you can probably just get something used off craiglist or a similar site. If you want to be detailed about your purchase:

• Look for any pits on the outside of the tank, or any fire-damage.
• Look for any bulges or dents on the outside.
• Remove the valve and look inside the tank for any corrosion, rust or pitting (you'll want a small light that can fit inside the tank).
• Look at the neck threads for any cracks or other damage. A mini dental mirror might help.
• You may also want to remove the boot and check for corrosion under the boot.
• Ideally, something currently with a valid hydro (last 5 years).
• Even better, if it has a current VIP sticker.
• Ideally a tank that was manufactured since 1990, and has DOT markings on it.

Removing the valve requires the tank to be completely empty (be 100% sure first). Valves unscrew in a counter-clockwise direction. You can tap the knob with a rubber mallet until it loosens up, you don't need much force.

Based on your location, I'd guess if you keep an eye on the used market, you can get a decent 80cu tank, with current hydro, for around $100 to $120. I have occasionally checked the Huston CL out of curiosity, even though I'm not located there.

If you want to save some money on annual VIPs, etc, you could also transfill tanks. Though I'd probably recommend getting at least one VIP on any tank just to be sure you didn't pick up one that had been rejected or abused.

 

[Bigbella]

Do you own your own tank just for home use? Cleaning and testing your gear?

I have a couple of old 62s and 72s that have been relegated to regulator testing, on the fly, when I'd rather do that than use my test bench -- and have various ponies for soaking regulators while pressurized.

One of the tanks I generally keep at about 20 bar (a bit under 300 psi), specifically for initial regulator adjustments, after rebuilds; and another around 200 bar (around 2900 psi) and top these tanks off as needed, via a trans-fill whip, from full tanks.

I'd recommend a pony bottle at the very least, for soaking regulators and verification of IP and function after servicing, prior to some pricey vacation. Also, an annual visual inspection and a hydro every five years, to keep them up to specs, is no big whoop, and really saves cashola and frustration, in the end . . .

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

"Do you own your own tank just for home use? Cleaning and testing your gear?"​

I own 3 just for that purpose. But I also use my pony to take my daughter to Coney and do regulator surface swims.

 

[34109411]

Have roughly 30 tanks at home,

I only buy tanks if it's a good deal, and usually has to be steel.
I don't pay more then 100$ for aluminum 80cuft

Get a use tank, its cheaper.

this more look like a dive shop.

 

[Gone for diving]

this more look like a dive shop.

Yeah and tanks is a small portion of it....

 

[TMHeimer]

I have 4 AL 80s for local diving and take 2 of them in the van each summer when I drive to NY. I used to take them to FL when we were snowbirds. I found 2 of them for sale under $100 (for both) on Kijiji (Canada's Craigs List I guess). There is always someone who tried scuba briefly and decided to quit. Hey, kinda like kids in school band....