The Benefits of Owning Your Scuba Tanks
The Size Difference Between Aluminum 80’s vs Steel 80’s.
Why Owning Your Tanks Makes Sense
There are several benefits to owning your tanks
You will dive more often. Owning your tanks is convenient. You are good to go whenever your buddy calls you up to dive! There is no need to wait for the shop to open in the morning to rent tanks before you head to the dive site.
They are cost-effective. Air fills for your tanks typically cost 50% to 70% less than renting them. Your tanks will have paid for themselves after 50 dives.
Tanks retain their value. The resale value of a used scuba cylinder is roughly 70% of the full retail price of buying a new one. Scuba cylinders are one of the few pieces of gear that keep their value.
Owning Steel vs. Aluminum Tanks
We often get asked why we prefer to dive with steel tanks and what the benefits are over aluminum. Why would you buy steel scuba cylinders?
The buoyancy characteristics of steel cylinders are one of their greatest benefits. Do you remember why you do a buoyancy check with an empty tank? Because an empty aluminum tank is more buoyant than a full tank and they get floaty. You must add extra lead to your weight belt to compensate and stay submerged while diving with aluminum tanks. A steel tank remains negatively buoyant when empty. When you dive with a steel tank you don’t need to add extra weight to your BCD, giving you better buoyancy control throughout your entire dive.
Another benefit is higher volume steel tanks are almost the same size or smaller than a lesser volume aluminum tank. Steel is a lot stronger than aluminum, and because of this, the walls of a steel tank can be a lot thinner, giving you more space for air. A 100cft steel tank is about the same size as an 80cft aluminum tank but gives you 20cft more air and a longer dive time. For shorter individuals, an aluminum 80cft tank might be too tall for them, whereas an 80cft steel tank is shorter making it a better fit.
Rowand’s Reef carries a wide selection of scuba cylinders, and we service what we sell. Stop in next time you’re in Kitsilano and ask us about the benefits of owning your tanks.