Do you have your own tank?

[AliKat]

I had never had any intentions of owning my own tanks, but then the dive shops here refused to keep enough 63's in their rental stock, so I gave up and bought 2.

Mine are only a little over a year, so can't say how long they will last yet!

 

[Big-t-2538]

I need to get out of this school rut before I can get some cash and get some tanks too.

-TT

 

[EBdiver]

Same here. I'd really like my own tank, preferrably a steel 72.

 

[roakey]

2 x PST LP 104s (Nitrox)
4 x Luxfer AL80s (Nitrox)
1 x Luxfer AL40 (O2)
1 x Luxfer AL14 (Argon)
1 x PST 72 (Air)

Do you also count?

1 x Emergency O2 bottle
3 x T storage cylinders (2 x 240 cf of O2, 1 x 291 cf of He)

I'm the original owner of the steel 72 which has a manufacturing hydro of 72 on it, so it was 30 years old this year and passed hydro about a month ago.

Roak

 

[SDAnderson]

I own a number of tanks, mostly steel. The buy/rent decision is not all that complicated: the cost of rentals versus the cost of a tank and fills, factor in the extra time running to and from the dive shop for rentals and then the big question - can you rent the tanks you want to dive with?

If treated well, tanks will last a long, long time. With some TLC, thirty years isn't unreasonable. For me that amounts to a lifetime. Make sure you get clean fills, never drain them or open them (unless you're qualified to VIP them), get a VIP at least once per year and tumble as needed, don't use boots, keep the stickers to a minimum, rinse religiously, store upright, don't let them overheat, never paint them, etc.

Steven

 

[O-ring]

Same here. I'd really like my own tank, preferrably a steel 72.

I just doubled up a set of steel 72s and they are a really nice rig. I am starting to like them better than my double 80s..

 

[dmdalton]

4 sets of double 72's
1 set of PST double 95's
1 PST 104
2 72's
1 65
4 AL 80's
3 AL 40's
1 AL 30
1 AL 14
2 AL 6's

Plus some historic tanks, 72 1/2" pipe thread valve, 72 1/2" oring

And I sold O-ring his double 72's!

I had some more but got rid of them!

Tanks last almost forever if you fill the steel ones with nice dry gas and don't overfill the AL much. OMS advertises that their 2400 psi steel tanks will withstand 10,000 hydro tests to 4000 psi. In otherwords, go ahead and overfill them since when was the last time you logged 10,000 dives, much less on a single tank.

Dave D

 

[EBdiver]

Hey reefraff,

Just curious... Why shouldn't we use boots?

 

[AliKat]

And why never paint them? I bought mine (new) painted neon green. Do you mean just don't paint them yourself (and why) or they just should never be painted?

 

[ages]

I have 6 steel tanks 4 -80's (2 air 2 nitrox) and 2 steel 100's. All high pressure.

Then I have one alum 30 I use as a pony when diving wrecks.

It drives me nuts when I travel and have to use alum tanks!! I have been known to get on my knees and beg for steel!! Usually some poor divemaster will take pity on me and loan me one of their private stock.....I always give them great tips if they do!!

ages