Nitrox mix in pony bottle

[texdiveguy]

.........If you feel my disclaimer was insufficient on that point, or that I was suggesting this is a schedule I would follow, then I apologize for not being sufficiently clear that I wasn't advising anyone to dive below 60' on air uhder any circumstances, much less 200' with a single tank and a bailout of any description.

The point was that a few people had answered the question of what mix goes in a pony bottle at 200' with a simple "don't!" and I wanted to give at least one reason why the answer is "don't."

No apology needed........

I just wanted to help keep from straying way beyond what this sub forum is intended for. Also pointing out that decompression diving is a serious form of diving and should not be considered something that a software program or book or the internet forums can adequately instruct by any means. (And I know your intent was not that)....but many others do this all the time on SB.

You are 100% correct in saying folks should not be diving at 200ft. with a pony bottle.

Safe and fun diving my friend!!!!!

 

[Reg Braithwaite]

No apology needed........

I just wanted to help keep from straying way beyond what this sub forum is intended for. Also pointing out that decompression diving is a serious form of diving and should not be considered something that a software program or book or the internet forums can adequately instruct by any means. (And I know your intent was not that)....but many others do this all the time on SB.

You are 100% correct in saying folks should not be diving at 200ft. with a pony bottle.

Safe and fun diving my friend!!!!!

You know what, you are 100% correct, and in this day and age of Google search, there is always the possibility that someone who is not reading the whole thread could do a search on '200 foot air deco' or something, see that post, and not read it carefully.

Perhaps I could have made the point without the table. It's just that so many people say "don't!" and they are right, but given the knowledge I have, the "don't!" of diving to 200' with a single and a pony is in a different class than the "don't" of "don't use a pony bottle, rely on your buddy" for example. The first injunction can be established from physics, while the second is a much more complex subject with strong opinions on all sides.

All that being said, there is some relevance to the original point, so let's wind our way back to it. The OP mentioned diving below 100' with a pony bottle. I think the idea that one should plan the dive using a method like rock bottom to calculate the minimum size and pressure of the pony bottle might be of interest.

 

[texdiveguy]

All that being said, there is some relevance to the original point, so let's wind our way back to it. The OP mentioned diving below 100' with a pony bottle. I think the idea that one should plan the dive using a method like rock bottom to calculate the minimum size and pressure of the pony bottle might be of interest.

Agree....... the approach of 'rock bottom' is one methodology that has strong merit. You are also right on target with the notion that a diver whom is choosing to dive with a pony bottle owes it to themselves to apply a little math and pre thought to all the what-if's in terms of available gas.

Rolling back on track to the OP's question of what's the best gas to be used in a recreational pony bottle, one can make an argument on several fronts. For myself at least and having crossed that path in the past, I found that in my mind that air is the best choice....it offer the most options and no negatives.

I would hope that divers completing the basic nitrox courses pay close attention to detail and review those basic rules of nitrox use periodically.

I very rarely dive nitrox as a back gas with a few exceptions, but even when I have/am air is still my pick as a contingency gas.

Good thread.