I've been reading around the forum for the answer, but I still need help. When I certified in the Florida Keys, I wore a 3 mm shorty, an AL 80 tank and a Mares vest-style BCD. I used 3 lb weights in each vest pocket and a 2 lb weight on each side of the upper cam band for a total of 10 lbs in shot pouches. My buoyancy and balance were okay until we got to the safety stop on the last dive. I could not stay at 5m (which I contribute to the near-empty tank). My first dive after certification will be a 60' fresh water warm spring. Equipment configuraton: AL 80 tank, SG Paragon BP/W with aluminum backplate, 30 lb wing, and no wet suit.
My thinking is that in Florida, I might have added another 4-5 lb to compensate for the weight reduction of the consumed air. So maybe I needed 14 instead of 10 lb. Then I will lose some buoyancy going to fresh water, not wearing a wet suit and possibly with the different BC. I'm not looking for exact numbers, but can you give me a rough starting point for weighting based on what I've told you? Thanks!
My thinking is that in Florida, I might have added another 4-5 lb to compensate for the weight reduction of the consumed air. So maybe I needed 14 instead of 10 lb. Then I will lose some buoyancy going to fresh water, not wearing a wet suit and possibly with the different BC. I'm not looking for exact numbers, but can you give me a rough starting point for weighting based on what I've told you? Thanks!