Nitrox and recreational diving.

[Dive Adventures]

Garrobo,
More training is always good, If only for the training how can you go wrong? There are some who say it helps them and those who say that it doesn't. Its up to you on whether you want to get this training. but ether way there will be a benefit to you as a diver. Good Luck!

 

[Jupiter31]

I don't want to repeat the excellent info given in this thread - but will tell you as a 5 year AARP member, NITROX is the only way to go

I feel better after using NITROX, but it could be a plecebo effect

The longer bottom times and shorter surface intervals; as well as the safety factor says it all - do it!

 

[Blackwood]

I've never experienced the "feel better" effect reported by some.

90% of the time I'm just doing one dive a day, in a depth range where nitrox isn't all that beneficial. If I exceed NDL, I'll pay my time, but that's rare.

That said, as Doc Intrepid said, it can't hurt (oxtox notwithstanding), and you may experience some benefit, so why not?

 

[TropicRat]

Because of the generally accepted benefits of Nitrox, I always advise it for divers that are not in the best of condition or over 40 and especially those in their 50's and above.

I use it whenever I can and at depths of less than 100ft, just treat it like I would air. I have used it since it began to get easily available (too many years to admit). Got to say however, it is less hassle to just use air fills.

I too always feel better and am less tired especially on dives of two or more per day- This is especially true on long boat rides and the drive home from the Keys.

I don't know WHERE the Placebo BS comes from, as all I have dove with agree that they feel less tired and the benefits of Oxygen are well documented.

I won't hurt you and you have a lot to gain.

 

[adurso]

There IS a reason it is called "geezer gas".

I also am not at your level of life experience, but get the senior discount and do feel better using higher O2 mixes.

 

[Dan Weidert]

<<edit>> The deepest that they go is on a couple wrecks which are a maximum 125 feet to the sand and the dives usually lasts for 45 minutes to an hour with about 30 minutes bottom time. <<edit>> So the question is how would using a gas mixture benefit me? If I used Nitrox on the morning dives do you think it would help me with my energy level for the afternoon dives?

Garrobo,
If you were using Nitrox at 32% O2 (32% and 36% are pretty standard mixes) your maximum operating depth is 111 ft* which would make that dive off limits on that blend. At 36% your max depth is 95 ft. *

Many feel that Nitrox really comes into its own on dives in the 50-70 ft range. Deeper than that and you either go through your air faster than you reach NDL or you bump up against the Max Operating Depth. Shallower and you can stay down all day

Dan

* using the formula ((1.4/O2 percentage)-1) times 33

 

[H2Andy]

the greatest benefit to Nitrox is that IF (notice the IF) you use Nitrox on the exact same dives you used to do with air, you will increase your margin of safety by reducing the amount of nitrogen you absorb during each dive

if (again the if) you use Nitrox instead of air and dive the same dives, you will essentially be adding a nice margin of error to your NDL's

alternatively, you can use Nitrox to increase your NDL's and will end up with longer dives; however, your cushion of error won't be there.

as many have noted, it seems (seems being the key word) that diving Nitrox is less hard on the body after multiple dives; heck, i swear i even feel a difference on just two dives

as has also been mentioned, understanding the concepts behind Nitrox and paying attention to the issues of maximum operating depth and oxtox will enrich your knowledge as a diver

 

[elan]

Deeper than that and you either go through your air faster than you reach NDL

IMHO either I got your statement wrong or that's just the opposite, the deeper you go the faster the NDL rather than air consumption becomes the obstacle. Say going from 66 to 99' your air consumption increased by 1/3 but your NDL cuts in half. on an HP100 I can still make it to NDL of 80 mins and even more . I will have at least 1/3 a tank at 80' and I cannot reach NDL at 35'

 

[elan]

After all the course is not as expensive but gives good info. As for feeling I usually do not have much fatigue after air dives but I have noticed that on Nitrox sometimes I do feel more energy after diving.