All About Pony Bottles

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Coldwater_Canuck

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Location
Seattle or Ontario
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Hey everyone, I'm a relatively new diver looking to purchase some equipment in the near future. Although I always dive with a buddy, I would prefer to be as self-reliant as possible, so am thinking a pony bottle would be a good investment. I've tried to research them but have been incredibly confused by conflicting information, so have a ton of questions:

I'll number my questions to make it a bit more clear:
1.) Does a pony bottle replace the need for a backup second stage from your main tank?

2.) I see a lot of stuff about pony bottles being attached to a BCD, or turning them on only when needed, and all this stuff. I always thought that a pony bottle was attached to a tank and turned on for the entire dive? Are they just different options, or how do people usually use them?

3.) When purchasing, what size would be preferable (assuming the possibility of deep diving in the future - up to 130 feet)? Also, is it generally best to buy a pre-configured system or just buy a tank and regulator yourself? Are they generally easy to switch between tanks (I plan to continue renting my main tanks)?

4.) Would you generally fill a pony bottle with air or nitrox? Do pony bottles need a PSI gage to tell how much air is remaining?

5.) Any recommendations or at least give a rough idea of how much I should be planning to spend?


Thanks for your help,
Graeme
 
Here is my .02-
1. The pony is just for me so I kept my octo. I also don't dive with my pony all the time so I will always have a second even when not using the pony.
2. My pony is attached to my BC, but it depends mainly on personal preferance and pony size.
Mine snaps on/off easily and I can see the button gauge without having another short gauge hose. My pony is turned on before I enter the water and stays on. I adjust my 2nd stage so that it doesn't ever free flow but air is readily available if needed.
3. Purchase the size appropriate for the dive you are doing. 130' sounds like borderline doubles territory to me, but I don't know, I have never been there. (100' max so far)
4. Are you using your pony for only a bail out bottle? Why wouldn't you want to know how much air you have in your pony?
5. I spent about $250.00, but mine are smaller bottles and for bail out purposes only.
 
Thanks for your 2 cents :)

130 is the limit for the deep diver course, which is one of the specialties I'm planning to do. I've never heard of it being double tank territory, they just say "pony highly recommended"

And I thought the whole point of a pony was for a "bail-out bottle". It's not that I wouldn't want to know, I'm just wondering if you need to buy a gage as well or what (some of the pre-configured sets don't seem to include a PSI gage).
 
I would guess it depends on your planned dive profile at that depth, but like I say that's foreign territory to me at this time.
Bail out bottle comment stems from the air nitrox question. If it is for a bail out bottle and your goal is to get safely to the surface (non-deco dive) I'm not sure of any real advantage to fill it with nitrox. If you are diving with nitrox and you fill your pony with a tank to tank whip, then why not I guess. Hopefully someone with more knowledge then me will comment on that one.

The gauge comment was meant to be somewhat rhetorical. If you mount it to the main tank you will need a short hose gauge so you can see it. (which means one more hose) If you sling it or mount it where you can see it, a button gauge works just fine and they tend to be a little cheaper (and no hose) Either way, you are right, they don't tend to come with a gauge.
 
OP--

1. NO

2. Most recreational diving is done with the pony bottle 'slung' on the divers left side from your bc's d-ring at the hip and shoulder areas. Some folks do mount the pony bottle to their back gas tank but this is IMO not the best method.
I prefer to charge the pony bottles line prior to entering the water and having it shut off during the dive...on occasion feathering it on the ensure it stays charged.

3. Common sizes are everything from 13cf to 40cf bottles. I persl. don't see the absolute need for a 40cf, I preferred a 19cf as this matched my dive needs quite well. This is a contingency gas source only!
I prefer pieced together units over the pre set-up models as it allows you more options.

4. AIR is the best gas for a NDL pony bottle....no reason to fill with nitrox even if nitrox is your back gas mix.
It's very recommended for the pony bottle to have a pressure gauge.

5. Pricing will vary with what gear you select....try Scuba Toys for your needs.

There are tons of divers with various ideas and pony bottle methods....I gave you info. that worked/works for me, average Joe diver. Please ask further questions if you have them.
 
I would guess it depends on your planned dive profile at that depth, but like I say that's foreign territory to me at this time.
Bail out bottle comment stems from the air nitrox question. If it is for a bail out bottle and your goal is to get safely to the surface (non-deco dive) I'm not sure of any real advantage to fill it with nitrox. If you are diving with nitrox and you fill your pony with a tank to tank whip, then why not I guess. Hopefully someone with more knowledge then me will comment on that one.
Oh okay I see. I realize the main idea for Nitrox is to not go over your bottom time limits (which if you're emergency surfacing, doesn't really matter). However, I've also heard that the increased oxygen means you tend to breathe a little slower with nitrox, which would make a difference


The gauge comment was meant to be somewhat rhetorical. If you mount it to the main tank you will need a short hose gauge so you can see it. (which means one more hose) If you sling it or mount it where you can see it, a button gauge works just fine and they tend to be a little cheaper (and no hose) Either way, you are right, they don't tend to come with a gauge.
Which is why I'm wondering. I'd think you'd want a gage so you can judge your ascent rate and time for safety stop (ideally, both would be done to normal standards, but if you're about to run out of air, risking some decompression sickness is probably better than guaranteeing drowning). Yet, they don't seem to be standard on pre-configured bottles, which I found strange.
 
1) no, unless you are diving solo all the time. If you are diving with a buddy, it is easier to give him/her the octo, even if you have a pony bottle .

2.) this is a matter of personal preference. I sling my pony bottle (I want to be able to see if anything leaks, and be able to turn it off/on easily)


3.) Do a search for threads on in-depth (or sometimes, ad nauseam) discussions on the best size for a pony bottle.
13-40cuft seem popular, with 13 maybe a little small for deep dives.
I would wait for a good deal on a pony bottle, and separately wait for a good deal on a reg - I don't see an advantage in a pre-configured system (any good reg will do).


4.) Definitely air. There is a max. depth for using nitrox depending on the percentage of oxygen, but a bail out bottle should be a "it just works" kind of system (you won't have much time for a lot of thinking once you need it).

The only reason why I have a gauge on my pony bottle is so that I can check that it is full before the dive. The gauge is no use to judge your ascent rate , and in a real emergency I also won't be too worried about doing my full three minutes' safety stop.

What you heard about breathing slower on nitrox is not correct.

5.) $120 for the bottle, reg maybe $200 ?!
 
one other thing - with so few dives under your belt, it may be better to keep things simple for a while and get in a few more dives before you add equipment.
for the first couple of dives , a pony bottle definitely adds complexity and task loading (your trim may be off, the bottle may be in the way of your inflator hose or spg, entries and exits may be more of a hassle, etc) which is not good when you are fresh out of ow.
just my 2 cents...
 
For what it is worth I am in exactly the same decision process you are. I plan to take the deep class within the next year and would like the "solo" piece of mind while diving with others. There is lots posted out here on what size bottle to use, you'll have to read and decide. Without getting everyone going on a tangent I have been through the gas calculations for my own "worst" case and found that a 19/20 cuft was too small so I have decided on a 30 cuft. (However, I may consider a 19/20 cuft sometime in the future and just move the valve back and forth.) Because of my BC set-up I will look at back mounting and if possible, slinging it. At present the 30 fits in a carry-on without the valve so I can still take it on vacations if I plan some deeper diving. Good luck with your decision.
 
Thanks everyone. I was thinking of just mounting it to the tank, but it sounds like most people prefer slinging it. I figured that slinging say a 30 cf bottle would get in your way when diving, but no one has issues with it? And I just want to make sure I understand what slinging it means, the pictures I've seen have two clips, and I guess does one go on a ring at the front and one on a ring at the back of your BCD and it just stays attached beside you, or how does this work?

Also, I'm sure someone will know, those little pressure gauges without a hose, do those just hookup to your first stage or what?

I'm thinking that I could probably put one together for not much over $300, which isn't too bad at all.


one other thing - with so few dives under your belt, it may be better to keep things simple for a while and get in a few more dives before you add equipment.
for the first couple of dives , a pony bottle definitely adds complexity and task loading (your trim may be off, the bottle may be in the way of your inflator hose or spg, entries and exits may be more of a hassle, etc) which is not good when you are fresh out of ow.
just my 2 cents...

I see what you're saying, but I'm not sure how much of an issue it would be, and given the increased safety I think it would be worth it. Most of the instructors I've seen for Advanced Open Water recommend having a pony bottle and I'd think those issues would be relatively minor.

But that does make me think, do you need more or less weight with a pony bottle on? I'm not sure, but I think a steel tank full of air on its sinks, which would mean less weight, but I'm not sure about this.
 

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