At what point do you buy a tank?

blackvans1234 · Jul 8, 2011

So for the average, on vacation diver, I'm fully aware the it is totally a bad investment to buy a tank.
I will be DRIVING from NY to Boca Raton Florida, and I'm considering buying an AL80

Ive seen them for about 160, so we'll say 175 after tax and whatnot.
For a tank rental, it'd be $10
A tank fill (if you own one) would be $5
so owning a tank would save you $5 per dive, which means I would need to dive at least 35 times before I started benefiting from this tank purchase.
I plan on SHORE diving as often as possible in Florida (which may amount to Sat/Sun shore dives, and maybe one during the week)

Do you think I should buy a tank?

Another consideration I'm having is trying to get the LDS I buy the tank from to give me 5 or so free fills, do you think they'd go for that?
It may even be common practice, IDK

thanks!

FWADIVER · Jul 8, 2011

if you are going to do that its silly to get only one tank, as you have to fill it between each dive, might as well get 2, then you can do 2 dives in a row... then before you know it you and buying steels and own about 6 tanks, and your wife constantly drags you through the mud over it.

kathydee · Jul 8, 2011

even if you don't have a wife... you probably will still end up with a stack of tanks

. If your moving to Fla and have access to weekly diving - go for it.

Search around for some nice quality used tanks and stretch your retail dollar to purchase two for almost the price of one.

grf88 · Jul 8, 2011

When you accumulate enough tanks you then need to buy a compressor and fill station to keep them fed. It is a bit like buying your first underwater camera, a slippery slope that leads to enormous expense.

Seriously though it would depend on the value that the convenience of ownership would be to you. With your own tanks you just have one trip to get a fill and not an additional trip to return the tanks if you are not going to be using them the next several days.

DennisS · Jul 8, 2011

The nice thing about having your own tank is that you are ready to go shore diving whenever you want. If the weather looks iffy on friday night, you may not want to rent a tank for sat. If you check it out at 7am the next morning and it's flat you are good to go if you have your own tank, get a close in parking spot and are in the water by the time the dive shop opens. It's not about the money, although they eventually pay for themselves over a rental. It's about convenience. You need your own tank.

DMDavid · Jul 8, 2011

Don't buy a tank unless access to renting a tank is difficult and or expensive.

That said, I own four of my own tanks.
1. For the freedom it gives me to do spur of the moment dives.
2. Owning my tanks allows me better control of my custom Nitrox mixes.
3. My tanks have DIN valves.
4. Mine are well maintained
5. Chicks dig my tanks
(the last one may just be in my head).

I buy my tanks online at Cheap Scuba Online and I doubt anyone will beat their price including delivery.
80cf Aluminum - $119 (+$30 shipping)

DMDavid · Jul 8, 2011

grf88:
With your own tanks you just have one trip to get a fill and not an additional trip to return the tanks if you are not going to be using them the next several days.

This is probably my favorite reason for having my own tanks.

Muddy MO · Jul 8, 2011

grf88:
Seriously though it would depend on the value that the convenience of ownership would be to you. With your own tanks you just have one trip to get a fill and not an additional trip to return the tanks if you are not going to be using them the next several days.

Agreed

Convenience is one of the biggest advantages. Your not working on the LDS time. Like said above I'd shoot for 2 tanks. One isnt worth it. In your figures you forgot viz and hydros.

scubaops · Jul 8, 2011

cheap scuba sucks i live near them but they will not let me pic up tanks to save shipping.

blackvans1234 · Jul 8, 2011

Vis is yearly and hydro every five, Viz is about $15?, which would be three dives, so at 38 dives it'd start paying for itself

hydro every five years, which is $50, and thats 10 dives, so at 48 dives, I'll have covered the purchase of the tank, the hydro due in 5 years, and the first years VIP

What I'm considering here is the money I would save or not save by buying vs renting a tank

Yes I would have to drive to the LDS to get a second fill, but its better than renting 2 tanks ($20)....right?

At what point do you buy a tank?

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