Scuba Diving Tanks, Which One For You?

Advances In SCUBA Diving

Whether you are a sport diver, an old pro, or a new diver looking for lessons, SCUBA diving has something for you, and your SCUBA tanks are a vital part of the diving experience. Today, we can hardly remember the time, before Jacques Cousteau, when divers didn't have ‘self contained underwater breathing apparatus' to make it possible to dive for extended time periods, for recreation or emergency rescue situations.

It's amazing to think of the advances in underwater gear in the last 60 years. It is hardly possible to turn on the TV without seeing a program with a diver in SCUBA gear.

Without SCUBA tanks businesses, like offshore oil drilling would not be possible. Exploration of the oceans, which cover most of the planet, would also not be taking place. Rescue and recovery emergencies would be much more difficult, if not impossible without SCUBA gear.

Breathing underwater for longer periods is made possible with the utilization of scuba tanks. While all Scuba tanks serve the same purpose, they come in various shapes, sizes, materials, colors, and pressure ratings.

Scuba tanks, bottles or cylinders, whatever you happen to call them, allow the diver to have his or her own source of air and normally, in recreational diving the breathing gas is air. Scuba tanks can be short and fat or long and skinny and hold different amounts of air, usually, between 50 and 150 cu ft of compressed air, though some bottles can hold as little as 25 cu ft.

Different sizes and amounts of air in a SCUBA tank are made like that for different purposes. Be sure to get one suited to you and the type of diving that you are doing.

Aluminum Or Steel SCUBA Tanks

Scuba tanks are made out of steel or aluminum. Aluminum scuba tanks are normally used and are less expensive, but they do suffer some disadvantages though, as it is softer than steel and more likely to suffer damage with rough or careless handling and steel scuba diving tanks take punishment better and generally can last longer.

Though some dive shops don't like filling aluminum tanks after 15 years or so, steel tanks are normally good for 30 years or more. If your buying your tanks new, you won't have to worry about replacing them, except for damage, for many years to come.

Be Safe

There are some security measures to be taken in dealing with SCUBA tanks, such as, securing scuba tanks and other dive gear on boats and on land, it only makes sense, even though many more people are killed by drowning or bee stings worldwide than scuba tank explosions. One of the places you don't want to have any problems is out in the water.

Another security measure that you wouldn't want to ignore is inspections. SCUBA Tanks must undergo several types of periodic inspections, like being hydrostatically tested every five years (60 months).

Scuba diving is a wonderful sport for beginners and veterans alike. But, scuba diving is a sport in which the gear is one of the most crucial elements to the adventure. Do your research and get advice on your SCUBA tanks from your instructor, keeping in mind, that breathing is the most important thing that you do, because without air, nothing else matters.

SCUBA Diving Tanks are the most important piece of gear in SCUBA diving. For more information on diving and other outdoor activities, check out http://www.SCUBAdiving.outdooradventuretoday.com