What cylinder do you dive, and why?

[Mongo]

I dive 130's.

Sometimes they hurt my body.

I really don't care.

If you would quit fondling them inappropriately they would probably stop punching you.

I can't help it. Fat bottom tanks make the scuba world go round.

[elmer fudd]

I looked at your profile, and apparently you're female and your deepest depth was 112'. You also apparently do shore dives. Considering that, big tanks like 119's and 120's and 130's will probably be more of a liability than a benefit to you if you have to pack more tank than you need to the shore.

This would leave me looking at HP100's and HP80's. If you're an air sipper, then maybe you could get away with an 80, but considering that you sometimes go to depths over 100' I would lean towards the HP100's.

One other tank that I particularly like are old LP72's. They're very light and very cheap and more negative than AL80's. You have to buy them from another diver or watch Craigslist for them, but they come up pretty regularly. I figure if I'm paying more than $60 with recent hydros or $25 w/o hydro for these then I'm paying too much. They don't hold a lot of air though, so these are really best suited to relatively shallow dives. I wouldn't buy one of these as a primary tank. Also, if they're not galvanized then don't bother.

[Mac]

For buoyancy characteristics alone, I like HP-Steels much better than Alum. With a decent air-consumption rate, HP100's willl generally give you 45-min to 1-hr for most rec dives. If you use a little more air (like me), it's nice having a HP119 or HP120, but they are heavier to lug around.

An HP119 is a good, affordable choice if you want something bigger, but they're fat, and not all Recreational BC tank straps will hold them (Scubapro Knighthawk, to name one). Might have to buy a new tank strap to accomodate this tank.

An HP120 is the same diameter as an HP100, so it's sure to fit in your BC, and gives you flexibility to swap out with an HP100 without adjusting the strap. However, 120's tend to be significantly more expensive than 119's, and some people find them to be too long.

There's a lot of friendly dive-buddies out there...I suspect you could probably find some people willing to swap tanks with you so you can try some different options before you buy.

[Winter]

Steal 130 cuz im not runnin' out if gas. I'll share. Usually I stay above 100, but will dip down to 130 when opportunity arise.(buddy wise and bailouts available.)

Oh and not to mention it gas a sweet octopus on it that my daughter Mj drew.

besides I'd rather have more weight on my back than in my pockets.

[Penopolypants]

I can't help it. Fat bottom tanks make the scuba world go round.

I have LP95s and HP119s, because I got great deals on them. The LP95 is more than enough gas for me and my buddy for a single dive on a regular fill. The HP119 is plenty of gas for me and my buddy for a long deep dive, and I will often keep it do a second shallow dive and still have plenty of reserves for us both. A HP130 is enough gas for me and my buddy for two long dives, but I find them to be dreafully uncomfortable.

In terms of reasonable amount of gas + feels great on my back + trims out great every time, a HP100 is my favorite hands down. I think they're great all-around tanks as singles or doubles.

[Mateo1147]

Make a few dives and see how you do. As others have said, if your new and your air consumption is high, go big! I own two LP85's and two AL80's and dive a dry suit. Some time around 54 dives my consumption really came down. On a recent dive with Blaiz and Coulterboy, at the end of the dive I had the most cu left in my tank out of the three of us. Blaiz was in her "mid pressure 95" and Coulterboy was sporting a HP100. I was wearing a AL80 so I could save the nitrox in my LP85's for the boat dives the next day.
The main reason I went with LP85's is that my local shop won't give me tight fills in HP tanks and the superior buoyancy of steel tanks. Where I live there is only one shop. The AL80's are left over from the first tanks I bought when starting out. Another plus for LP85's is that they become a HP112 when mistakenly overfilled at your friendly lds that assumes every galvanized steel tank is a HP. Yep, 3500lbs. I was shocked at the time and did the math later.
It is never a bad thing to have more air on your back than the plan at hand calls for. Things have been known to come up that aren't part of the plan!

That is so true about that dive with Mateo and Blaiz. Maybe I was way having too much fun, than supposedly "relaxing" on that dive.

It might have been all the extra swimming you did before you took your compass off and held it in your hand. That was still a great dive in my book! Can't wait to do another.

[Alexitt]

An HP119 is a good, affordable choice if you want something bigger, but they're fat, and not all Recreational BC tank straps will hold them (Scubapro Knighthawk, to name one). Might have to buy a new tank strap to accomodate this tank.

My Knighthawk fits my 119's nicely... though you're right about them being hefty.....

[inflex]

It's about getting the smallest, lightest, and cheapest tank that will allow you to do the dives you want to do. Lugging around extra weight and size both in and out of the water is just wasted effort.

There's not much difference in overall buoyancy between different tank sizes as long as the material is the same, but there's a huge difference in the center of gravity and the tendency to roll.

The main advantage of diving steel is its compactness, which results in better trim and is easier to balance compared with heavier and larger aluminum tanks. Steel tanks are also lighter (on land), always negatively buoyant (in water), and have a longer life span. However, steel tanks actually see more buoyancy change (in the range of + 7lbs to 10lbs) when going from full to empty than aluminums (5-8lbs).

[raptor]

I only like HP tanks because a HP tank not fill all the way is a LP tank. Now you cannot fill a LP tank to the HP pressure or you should not. I dive HP twin 130 most of the time. Why because I like the extra air and I can do 3 hour + dives on them. Plus I can handle the weight. I also like HP 100 have a few of them also. I say just get what you like and can afford now because you will get more down the road like most people here.

[finnegankp]

Right now I dive AL80's... I know, I know, they're not the most desirable, but they work and when I bought all my gear they were inexpensive and all I could afford at the time. I prefer to dive steel if they're available for many of the reasons that everyone else on the board has mentioned. I'm looking at picking up some HP100's or 119's when I get the money.

I will say this though about AL tanks, they do have the upside of being painted white or neon yellow which makes you easier to pick out in murky water or low vis. I've heard of people painting their steel tanks, but not sure how practical or wise it is to do so. Never really looked into it much.

[SeanKylgod]

which ever tank is currently at my disposal that is also full is the tank that's right for me ;-)

i regularly dive HP119's or my AL80... I really dont mind diving AL tanks.

[scubnewb]

I dive a yellow Catalina AL80 and a Blue Catalina AL80... Why? Because I got them off CList for $25 each and they never had touched water beforehand... SCORE!!! After VIP & Hydro I was 140 total into them... I am buying my Can light this month from the Doc and after I get that I plan on picking up a pair of Steel 100-120's depending on how they fit me as i am 5'6" LOL... Most likely will go HP... I want all the gas I can get for the longest dive period with something that fits me well and I can lighten up on my lead load as well when I move away from the AL80s... In the end I want to be light, compfortable, be able to dive to 150' and of course... Minimize everything - especially weight.

[SeanKylgod]

I dive a yellow Catalina AL80 and a Blue Catalina AL80... Why? Because I got them off CList for $25 each and they never had touched water beforehand... SCORE!!!

Amen.

[Ranbal]

I have been diving the pacific northwest for over 18 years. Started with al80's but quickly learned the benefits of hp steel and have been diving hp100's ever since. As listed numerous times, the buoyancy factor of steel makes it worth it.

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[Mongo]

I'm going to double up some faber 149's and be the talk of the town.

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[Jeff Pack]

I can already hear your disks herniating

[Scrappy]

I'm going to double up some faber 149's and be the talk of the town.

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We have a guy in the shop that dives double 150's . At first I thought it was a sick joke until I saw him dive them at Sund Rock one day.

[LCF]

However, steel tanks actually see more buoyancy change (in the range of + 7lbs to 10lbs) when going from full to empty than aluminums (5-8lbs).

This actually isn't true. Swing weight on a tank is solely related to tank volume. The buoyancy change is due to the air you expel into the water, and that's independent of tank material. An 80 cf steel tank has the same swing as an 80 cf aluminum tank. The difference is that the steel tank will swing from -7 to -1, the aluminum from -2 to +4. That means you have to carry four or five pounds of ballast with the aluminum tank that you don't with the steel, which is why we all dive steels if we can.

[Linedog]

Traded my HP 100's for HP 130's, little bit more weight on land bout the same in water. I like more gas.

[Norris]

Traded my HP 100's for HP 130's, little bit more weight on land bout the same in water. I like more gas.

I want to trade my 100's for 130's too.

Anyone?

Straight across?

Ill even throw in a free snorkel

[Linedog]

Hold out for a spair air!

[Jeff Pack]

Or get a compressor.

If I bump my LP95's to 3400psi, I'm at almost 120cf.

[60south]

I love my HP 130.

It's big and cuddly, and I usually get cold and end the dive long before I approach the reserve pressure.

...which gives me a warm fuzzy feeling (not narcosis).