A few newbie tank questions

[RyanT]

Definitely galvanized.

 

[pauldw]

If you're getting new steel tanks, Dive Right in Scuba has free shipping, even on tanks, through the end of the month.

Ouch! I guess I ordered a tank from them three days too early! Hot dip galvanized, though, and with an inspection/oxygen sticker on it. Make sure you check to see if valve is the one you expected.

 

[Marie13]

Ouch! I guess I ordered a tank from them three days too early! Hot dip galvanized, though, and with an inspection/oxygen sticker on it. Make sure you check to see if valve is the one you expected.

My comment was from last year, I believe.

 

[scubafanatic]

Thanks for the insights, Jack. I noticed the diameter is 8" vs 7.75", but wasn't sure if .25" was enough to keep it from fitting onboard tank racks. I was considering mainly local, freshwater use, since most charters will involve air travel for me, and I'll have to rent tanks. I had thought that I could lose lead vs a 80, but I guess no more than what I could lose with a neutral 80. Realistically, considering I plan to use nitrox, how much more volume would I get with the 100 over the 80? Aren't there some restrictions on Nitrox that don't apply to air?

The diameter difference is 0.75", NOT 0.25". It's 8" vs 7.25"....NOT 8" vs 7.75".

 

[Peter McCann]

I really appreciate all the good input here. I bounced the question off my instructor, Wayne Palmer (over 6000 dives), and he suggested the AL80. He brought up 2 good points: The AL80 doesn't get very buoyant until it's time to come up anyway, and that if I dive a steel 100 or 120, when I travel and rent AL80s, I'll have to re-adjust weight/trim in the water while I'd rather spend that time seeing the sights. LP has Luxfer AL 80s on sale for $170 shipped, so I bought two in bead blast finish, for what I would have paid for one Faber HP100 galvanized they have on sale for $340. Both materials have their advantages, but for me, at this stage, I think the AL80 will work best

 

[RyanT]

@Peter McCann, steels are better tanks. But...countless divers around the world have successfully used AL80s. Heck, I've made a ridiculous number of dives using a single AL80 and they worked great. And, you certainly can't beat the cost! Enjoy your diving!

 

[Diesel_Diver]

I dive AL80’s they are fine, but doing shore dives in cold water, I’d like to stay down longer so my next tanks will be HP117 or HP133.

 

[Peter McCann]

I dive AL80’s they are fine, but doing shore dives in cold water, I’d like to stay down longer so my next tanks will be HP117 or HP133.

Good point. I may add some higher capacity HP steel tanks at some point.

 

[rhwestfall]

I'd rather dive LP85 steel than AL80. More ballast, and more capacity (85 vs 77)...

YMMV

 

[Marie13]

Heck, or even an HP80.