Please Educate A Newbie on Nitrox :)

[String]

No. 100% oxygen is completely different for injury treatment. Firstly there oxygen debt IS an issue due to damaged blood flow. Secondly it increases the inert gas gradient which has the effect of drawing inert gas out of the blood stream and eventually the body. Completely different mechanism and neither apply to during a dive.

 

[TSandM]

Herk Man, the reason for putting people on 100% O2 on the surface is to maximize the gradient for nitrogen elimination, not because the oxygen is particularly useful.

If you have normal lung function, then while breathing air at the surface, your hemoglobin in your blood will be 99% saturated with O2. Almost all the oxygen in the blood is carried on hemoglobin, so breathing elevated amounts of oxygen on the surface adds very little oxygen to the blood at all. Oxygen is very poorly soluble in plasma.

Even at depth, while breathing a ppO2 of 1.4 or 1.6, you have little additional oxygen in your blood. This is why we can't use hyperbaric chambers to ensure the survival of people who have lost major amounts of blood and refuse transfusion. (They try this, but it isn't very helpful.)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Hi all,

I was just recently Open Water certified, and have logged 5 freshwater dives so far. I am planning a couple upcoming dive trips. One of the trips I want to go on is 60-80ft saltwater, taking a tour of a reefed ship. The dive shop that handles the trip recommends the use of Nitrox for the dives, and offers certification for people (like me) that don't already have it.

I understand that Nitrox allows for longer bottom times and reduces the risk of decompression sickness, but that's all I know. Are there any other benefits to diving Nitrox, or any other risks (other than Oxygen Toxicity at depth)?

Is this something that I as a recreational diver should be certified in, or is Nitrox one of those things that I will only use once in a blue moon?

Thanks for any help.

Tim

Sometime ago I wrote a short article for folks just like you (new divers who are Nitrox curious) ... you may find it useful ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[k ellis]

Sometime ago I wrote a short article for folks just like you (new divers who are Nitrox curious) ... you may find it useful ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Very will put Ive seen a lot of debates on here before but to date this has to be one of the most accurate portrayls of the use of Nitrox.

What I like most about it is it points out the facts of diving and does not support or denounce things that have not been proven 100 percent factual.

Keep up the good work

 

[jonathon50]

i am thinking of doing the cert as well. can see the logic of leaving your comp set for air to give you more conservatism, but whats the point of diving if your going to shorten the dive to an air dive? My comp is set for conditions just because of where i dive, cold dark and gloomy and thats before you get in! ha ha.

 

[ScubaFeenD]

Sometime ago I wrote a short article for folks just like you (new divers who are Nitrox curious) ... you may find it useful ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I've read this, and i appreciate the time you put into writing it. However, i dont really understand what you wrote that isn't covered in a book on the subject. I guess its nice cause its freely accesible, which books might be. Nevertheless, its sad if an instructor at a shop can't explain this to a student.

 

[ScubaFeenD]

but whats the point of diving if your going to shorten the dive to an air dive?

is this a serious question?

 

[Belce]

Actually it is a reasonable serious question. Why dive nitrox as if it was air is because it increases the margin of safety.

 

[seacreatures]

i am thinking of doing the cert as well. can see the logic of leaving your comp set for air to give you more conservatism, but whats the point of diving if your going to shorten the dive to an air dive? My comp is set for conditions just because of where i dive, cold dark and gloomy and thats before you get in! ha ha.

Not me! I want to know what is in my tank and my lunges If your doing multiple dives you better have your computer set for the right percentage. I see no need for that kind of "Risk" for a so called "Safety factor" that could get you in trouble. Gas is rare and precious underwater and I want the one that I can get that will give me the most for my diving dollar per day!

 

[String]

Actually it is a reasonable serious question. Why dive nitrox as if it was air is because it increases the margin of safety.

No evidence to back that up at all. People have tried and failed to find any statistically significant reduction in the rate of DCS.