Nitrox for beginners

[SoccerJeni]

I've been thinking recently (since I don't actually get to dive very often) would Nitrox be worth it for a beginner? I can definitely see it's advantages...like for a week long dive trip, lowering your nitrogen loading over the course of many dives in a row But let's say you're going to do 2 dives in 1 day, or even 4 dives over 2 days, and won't dive again or quite some time. If you're a beginner and your dives are currently limited because you're running out of gas, rather than non-deco time, would it be a waste of money to get Nitrox?

 

[emoreira]

If you are planning to do only 2 dives a day and you are still sucking your tank, Nitrox will add nothing to your dive excursion.
Nitrox could be significant in excursions with 3 or 4 dives a day during 3 or more days, and your air consumption takes you near to the non-deco limits.
However, Nitrox is something that adds to your dive experience, but remember that each tank is expensiver than air, and is not always available. If you are still a new diver, consider gaining more experience and then going Nitrox.

 

[Bob DBF]

I didn't get a nitrox cert untill I was doing multi day Lobster dive trips where you can do 18 dives over three days. It is shallowish diving but the N2 builds up and O2 leave me less tired at the end of the day. I still dive air unless I'm doing lots of dives and Nitrox is available.


Bob
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I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

 

[doctormike]

The standard nitrox mixes reduces nitrogen loading in your tissues by containing less nitrogen than air. Therefore, the advantage is either (1) that it lets you have longer NDLs for a given depth, or if you dive air tables while breathing Nitrox (2) theoretically reduces the risk of decompression illness for a given profile.

The latter approach is a bit controversial, given the fact that "undeserved" DCI hits are rare, and it's hard to get enough profiles together to prove this in research - you would need to have two large groups of matched profiles with one group on air and one group on nitrox to see a significant difference if one did in fact exist.

The third reason why people dive Nitrox is that some people feel that they feel less tired as compared to air. I'm certainly not a qualified hyperbaric doc, but from what I can tell there isn't much science behind this, and a potentially large placebo effect. That has been thrashed out here in the forums as much as split fins or Spare Air, and I don't have much more to add.

The benefit that you mention - accumulating nitrogen over a long week of diving with big surface intervals between the dives - is also not something that I have seen literature support for. Nitrogen does not seem to have the sort of cumulative effect over longer periods of time that oxygen does (as in the oxygen clock). Nitrox as you know is limited by operating depth, so you would need to study people who are doing many many relatively shallow dives over a long period (maybe dive resort DMs or something?).

Bottom line, if you are limited by gas and not by NDL, I'm not sure why you would dive Nitrox (leaving aside the third reason above). On the other hand, as you improve your air consumption, you may be hitting your NDL soon! Keep at it...

Mike

 

[TV Mark]

Hi Jeni,

I've never used nitrox at Beaver Lake. I always use it as the second tank dive when in Cozumel.
I got certified after my first year going there. With the profiles there, I found it to be handy.

 

[DiveNav]

......would it be a waste of money to get Nitrox?

it depends..... on the dive profiles

What about this? $4.99 to learn all you need to know about Nitrox (including use of a nitrox dive planner / simulator).

Then, if you want to dive Nitrox for real, go to your LDS / Instructor and get a Nitrox Card

Alberto (aka eDiver)

 

[Peter Guy]

I've told students that they should take a Nitrox class when they decide they want to learn more about gasses and decompression. IF the class is taught properly, a student can learn a lot that is skipped in the "typical" OW class.

IF you are going to be doing several dives/day, several days, I always advise diving Nitrox. Me, I always dive 32% on recreational dives -- air only for the pool.

 

[Davemohio]

I've told students that they should take a Nitrox class when they decide they want to learn more about gasses and decompression. IF the class is taught properly, a student can learn a lot that is skipped in the "typical" OW class.

IF you are going to be doing several dives/day, several days, I always advise diving Nitrox. Me, I always dive 32% on recreational dives -- air only for the pool.

+1.

Jen, I have had my Nitrox card for a year(?) and finally tried Nitrox in N Fla. last month. The education is worthwhile IMHO. My SDI course did not include/require dives. Landlocked like we are, winter is a great time to take the course. And depending on the cost, of course.

 

[drrich2]

If you have a reasonable confidence level that you will someday go to Bonaire, do a live-aboard, etc..., then it makes sense to go ahead & get a nitrox cert. rather than wait & try to work it in when you're finally planning 'the big trip' (as happened with a diver who recently went with our little group to Bonaire; he had a temp. card within a week of when we left for the trip!). It's often good to already have such things out of the way.

Richard.

 

[Teamcasa]

I've told students that they should take a Nitrox class when they decide they want to learn more about gasses and decompression. IF the class is taught properly, a student can learn a lot that is skipped in the "typical" OW class.

IF you are going to be doing several dives/day, several days, I always advise diving Nitrox. Me, I always dive 32% on recreational dives -- air only for the pool.

+2
Taking the class will further your knowledge base and what's wrong with that?
I took the class sometime ago and dive Nitrox when it's available. Good stuff.