Steel vs Aluminum Scuba Tanks - Which Should You Use?

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[@Sherwoody]

When I go on holiday, I’ve always been supplied with aluminum tanks. At home I use aluminum because I was able to buy 3 aluminum tanks for the price of two steel tanks.

[@svr5423]

I always buy steel tanks. They can pack more air and I need less lead weight.

[@patrickmessina08]

The music makes this video hard to pay attention to what you’re saying..

[@conryan169]

Why do you need to include shite music in the video.

[@divemasteraustin]

Thank you for watching!

[@scooterdogg7580]

steel hands down , no brainer

[@divemasteraustin]

We agree!

[@talbotmcinnis]

Careful with the capacity explanation. Yes the HP steel has an operating pressure of 3442, but in US units, “80 cuft” refers to the capacity of the air at 1 atm, i.e. how much there is to breath. So two 80s have the same breathable capacity regardless of their operating pressure. Also highly relevant is that 10% overfill is only valid for the first 5 years of the tanks life, so it’s a steel 72 after that (if you and your fill station follow the rules). Lastly that in some areas shops are not great at filling to 3442, and a short fill on an hp tank is a 13% shorter dive.

[@divemasteraustin]

Great points! Will cover this in a future relaunch. Any topics we should cover next?

[@Mj10906]

It’s not only the first 5 years. The “+” can be done every hydro. It just needs to pass the hydro with the requisite numbers to qualify for it.

[@dmitryzherebilov90]

Dang , well that cleared up bunch lol , I was looking for Aluminum cuz I thought it would be lighter . I also thought it would be more costly , longer lasting. Great video , straight talking points , Thanks!

[@divemasteraustin]

Thanks for watching! Any videos you'd like to see next?

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

Some things he neglected to mention. Yeah, steel tanks can be lighter when you use high pressure cylinders, but you're going to need 300 bar DIN regulators in order to be able to use them. A yoke regulator will not fit on there, even with an adapter. If you have 300 bar DIN regulators (and you should) then you're good. If you're comparing Aluminum 80's with Steel 80's with the same pressure rating (i.e. the same physical size), then steel cylinders will be a lot heavier. Other differences: Steel cylinders have rounded bottoms, aluminum cylinders will have flat bottoms. So you can stand an aluminum cylinder upright. A steel cylinder will need a boot. Steel cylinders are painted, aluminum cylinders generally aren't.

[@divemasteraustin]

Great additions! @@bloodymarvelous4790

[@svr5423]

In general, you want heavy tanks (more density) as it allow you to use less lead weight. So your overall weight on land doesn't really increase much. The lightest tanks are the carbon fibre reinforced ones. They'll float up to the surface. But then you need much more weights to pull them down. Theoretically, it lowers the center of gravity on backmounts by a lot, but it makes handling on land more cumbersome and they are significantly more expensive. Haven't tried them out.

[@badgermoon9229]

@@divemasteraustin I have one unpainted aluminum and one painted (powdercoated) cylinder. Both of my steel cylinders are hot dipped galvanized. I have a yoke to din adapter but I prefer to just switch out my regulator to yoke or din depending on what bottles I'm diving at the time.