Which Tank?

[LakeCountyDiver]

Well it depends on your weighting needs. Your AL80's are 4lb+ at the end of a dive where Steel 100's are -2.5lb at the end. If you can get an hour at 70ft that is good but you will need to watch your time cause the no-deco limit is 45mins at 70ft. If it is a variable depth dive then this is null and void.

How long do you need to stay down??? What kinda depths??? How much weight do you "need" for an AL80??? As a guy and being able to carry an 80 I would not get anything smaller just because you cant have too much air only too much bottom time. I have 2 ST100's and 2 AL80's and I always use my 100's cause they are negative and hold more air.

 

[TSandM]

Are you planning on shipping tanks from Guam to LA? Because, if I were you, I'd get a couple of Al80's for where you are. They're cheap, they clearly have plenty of gas in them for you, for the dives you are doing, and they're a much better choice for a balanced rig for diving with no exposure protection.

In LA's cold water, you will almost certainly want tanks that form a part of your ballast, rather than tanks that require even MORE weight to sink them. Steels are a much better choice in cold water, and the HP100s are a nice choice to minimize dry weight while providing an adequate gas supply for most divers. That said, almost everybody I know who dives in LA uses HP130s . . .

 

[g1138]

HP100's are nice. They're a little bigger in circumference than a St80.
If you're thinking Al 80 they do make neutral tanks that fill to 3300 psi, but I'm not sure how often you come by those.

I personally like the small size of St 80's and HP100's. It sits small on your back so you don't have a long tank holding above your butt. (depending how short you are).

That being said, some people have a hard time reaching the bottom of their tank to hoist it up when doing a reg recovery (finding the hose at the first stage).
This is mainly because they're not flexible enough to reach the bottom of the tank or the first stage behind then on their own.

If you're not deadly afraid of this then I wouldn't let it bother you.

 

[g1138]

HP100's are nice. They're a little bigger in circumference than a St80.
If you're thinking Al 80 they do make neutral tanks that fill to 3300 psi, but I'm not sure how often you come by those.

I personally like the small size of St 80's and HP100's. It sits small on your back so you don't have a long tank holding above your butt. (depending how short you are).

That being said, some people have a hard time reaching the bottom of their tank to hoist it up when doing a reg recovery (finding the hose at the first stage).
This is mainly because they're not flexible enough to reach the bottom of the tank or the first stage behind them on their own.

If you're not deadly afraid of this then I wouldn't let it bother you.

 

[TigerKnee]

Lake: 70ft would be a max depth for that particular dive, typically on a dive like that we would descend down to 70 tool around down there see what there is to see and then gradually ascend to stay within NDL and save air. The exception to that would be some of the wreck's out here around 100fsw, in that case it would be a EAN32 dive and we would stay down as long as NDL and gas allows... I usually run no weight to 2lbs depending on surge and what not(BP weighs 7lbs). Depths out here vary alot, usually a boat dive will be a 100+ first dive and then a 60-45ft second dive, and most shore dives are 70ft to 30ft

TSandM: Good call I think that may be the ticket. Just pick up some AL80s out here and then get steels once I move...

Thanks to everyone on here for your advice everything's been very helpful!!

Kris

 

[KY]

agreed, i'd get a single steel 12...

12's always seem to be just the right size... not to big, not to small, and versatlie enough to be used everywhere..

 

[SCUBA482]

I dive the LA area (So Cal) and use the HP100's exclusively...the negative bouyancy helps with the level of exposure protection we use out here, especially since you are acclimated to warmer waters..however, a lot will depend on your body size and weight needs...if you are doing well with the AL80 then maybe just get one of them for now..they average about $149ish out here so maybe that will help you decide if you want to buy one and ship it...the Steel HP100s are about $349ish..maybe you are good on air with the AL80, but as a general rule add a zero to the cu ft of your tank to get your max depth you should go with that tank..there are some threads on SB that can help you gas plan and decide what will be best...the cooler water in my neck of the woods make the HP100 a solid choice though lots of other people are very successful with their AL80's...good luck

 

[aquaregia]

If you use 0-2lb of lead with an aluminium tank, I wouldn't consider a steel unless you really needed it. The 5-6 lbs difference in the tank buoyancy means you'll be overweighed. Additionally, you'll have 2lb more gas at the beginning of the dive. I found the PST LP80s to be really irritating in the Fla Keys with no wetsuit.

 

[kanonfodr]

If AL80s are working great for you right now, then I would get them since they are cheap and plentiful in places where diving is common. Then when you move somewhere with colder water you will have something to stand by until you get tanks more fitting to your diving there.

Peace,
Greg

 

[sabbath999]

And they also hold about 25% more Air If you decide to do longer/Deeper dives later this tank will suit you better off. Also if when you ever decide Deepending on How big you are these tanks are easier to Double up (IMO)

Assuming you have a fill station that runs high enough pressure to actually get them full. Most of the pressures on fill stations in my neck of the woods max out at about 3200 because they don't want to put "wear and tear" on the compressors... and that won't fill a HP tank.

Just grist for your mill.