Hi Tparrent,
22 pounds with a 3mm is well above what many divers need but that dosen't mean it's not right for you, at least for now.
I don't know your body make-up and that can have a lot to do with your required dive weight requirement. So can your gear.
Remember that all of the above posts need to be understood in context. When somone says they wear X pounds with a backplate you need to realize that if it's a stainless steel plate thay just added 5-6 pounds of non titchable weight, it is still weight. Also if they have a STA (single tank adapter, which is a channel like tank cradle) thay may have added another 5 or more pounds of non ditchable weight, again it's all dive weight, just placed differently.
Now cyclinders, you don't have any need for a heavier steel tank. What would be helpful is a less buoyant steel tank. A less bouyant tank will require less weight to keep you down at the end of the dive. Going from an AL80 to a steel HP 80 will slash 7 pounds from your weight belt. This is not something you need to do but most will agree that if dive weight is an issue it is a smart choice. In this comparison the HP steel is also lighter in weight. This means your inertia while diving and your weight walking across the beach will be 12 pounds lighter. That makes a big difference when you're transitioning back to being a land creature at the end of the dive. Check out this old post of mine, it walks through the math.
http://www.scubaboard.com/showpost.php?p=1191538&postcount=16
As for checking your weight you are correct that doing the bobbing at eye level at the start of the dive is bogus since you will be about 5 pounds less buoyant at the end of your dive due to air mass depletion. You can fudge this by adding the estimated 5 pounds. Since your dive gear will hold some air (buoyancy) at the start of the dive it is more accurate to do it at the end of the dive with your cylinder sown to 500 PSi or so. At this point your gear will be as saturated as it ever will be.
Remember, End of dive, 500 PSI, bobbing plumb, keep you legs still, cross them if you can't stop finning. Average breath hold you at eye level. Inhale deep mask comes out of water, exhale deeply it sinkls into the water.
With this balance you are just barely buoyant on the surface. Getting down just a bit will begin the compression of your neoprene and give you the negative buoyancy you need to stay down at your stop.
Question......? Are you sure that you are getting all of the air out of your BC? Have a buddy inspect it wile you're in the water. Some BCs are fussy and if you don't learn which way to lean or some other parlor trick you will be diving with a permanent float tied to your body.
You are the diver, don't let your buddy influence what you carry for weight. There is a lot you can do optimize your rig but in the end it needs to be configured as you adaptation to the underwater world.
As mentioned with experience you will become more at ease and carry less air in your lungs and this will let you from some weight over time.
FWIW in my 3mm and an E7-80 cylinder in frsh water I need less than 6 pounds. I know I can easilly start my dive with zero weight. I never sucked a tank down low enough to do a propper check at the end so I used 6 to cover any gas loss. In the ocean in my 7/7mm suit with an E7-80 I wear 26 pounds and that's dialed in just right.
Even though it's a 3mm suit it will loose some of it's bouyancy over time as the neoprene ages and that will let you drop some weight. The bad news is that loss of trapped bubbles in the suit means loss of insulation for you.
Once you get this sorted out you will want to consider trim. Where do you put the weights so you can hang in the water column like a skydiver in freefall. You have your belt, perhaps integrated weight pockets and trim weight pockets up on your back. Where you mount your cylinder will also tip you one way ot the other. There are other options but those are good starting points. Once you have correct weight and trim you will be on your way to relaxing, dropping that lung volume and reducing your weight a bit more. If you have poor trim and are constantly sculling and fussing you will be all puffed up.
Think it throught, make small adjustments and remember that you are you.
Dive safe and often,
Pete
22 pounds with a 3mm is well above what many divers need but that dosen't mean it's not right for you, at least for now.
I don't know your body make-up and that can have a lot to do with your required dive weight requirement. So can your gear.
Remember that all of the above posts need to be understood in context. When somone says they wear X pounds with a backplate you need to realize that if it's a stainless steel plate thay just added 5-6 pounds of non titchable weight, it is still weight. Also if they have a STA (single tank adapter, which is a channel like tank cradle) thay may have added another 5 or more pounds of non ditchable weight, again it's all dive weight, just placed differently.
Now cyclinders, you don't have any need for a heavier steel tank. What would be helpful is a less buoyant steel tank. A less bouyant tank will require less weight to keep you down at the end of the dive. Going from an AL80 to a steel HP 80 will slash 7 pounds from your weight belt. This is not something you need to do but most will agree that if dive weight is an issue it is a smart choice. In this comparison the HP steel is also lighter in weight. This means your inertia while diving and your weight walking across the beach will be 12 pounds lighter. That makes a big difference when you're transitioning back to being a land creature at the end of the dive. Check out this old post of mine, it walks through the math.
http://www.scubaboard.com/showpost.php?p=1191538&postcount=16
As for checking your weight you are correct that doing the bobbing at eye level at the start of the dive is bogus since you will be about 5 pounds less buoyant at the end of your dive due to air mass depletion. You can fudge this by adding the estimated 5 pounds. Since your dive gear will hold some air (buoyancy) at the start of the dive it is more accurate to do it at the end of the dive with your cylinder sown to 500 PSi or so. At this point your gear will be as saturated as it ever will be.
Remember, End of dive, 500 PSI, bobbing plumb, keep you legs still, cross them if you can't stop finning. Average breath hold you at eye level. Inhale deep mask comes out of water, exhale deeply it sinkls into the water.
With this balance you are just barely buoyant on the surface. Getting down just a bit will begin the compression of your neoprene and give you the negative buoyancy you need to stay down at your stop.
Question......? Are you sure that you are getting all of the air out of your BC? Have a buddy inspect it wile you're in the water. Some BCs are fussy and if you don't learn which way to lean or some other parlor trick you will be diving with a permanent float tied to your body.
You are the diver, don't let your buddy influence what you carry for weight. There is a lot you can do optimize your rig but in the end it needs to be configured as you adaptation to the underwater world.
As mentioned with experience you will become more at ease and carry less air in your lungs and this will let you from some weight over time.
FWIW in my 3mm and an E7-80 cylinder in frsh water I need less than 6 pounds. I know I can easilly start my dive with zero weight. I never sucked a tank down low enough to do a propper check at the end so I used 6 to cover any gas loss. In the ocean in my 7/7mm suit with an E7-80 I wear 26 pounds and that's dialed in just right.
Even though it's a 3mm suit it will loose some of it's bouyancy over time as the neoprene ages and that will let you drop some weight. The bad news is that loss of trapped bubbles in the suit means loss of insulation for you.
Once you get this sorted out you will want to consider trim. Where do you put the weights so you can hang in the water column like a skydiver in freefall. You have your belt, perhaps integrated weight pockets and trim weight pockets up on your back. Where you mount your cylinder will also tip you one way ot the other. There are other options but those are good starting points. Once you have correct weight and trim you will be on your way to relaxing, dropping that lung volume and reducing your weight a bit more. If you have poor trim and are constantly sculling and fussing you will be all puffed up.
Think it throught, make small adjustments and remember that you are you.
Dive safe and often,
Pete
