USU SCUBA Club

Air cylinder (scuba tank)

This is probably the last piece of equipment you should buy: they're big and heavy, and easy to rent pretty much anywhere you'd want to dive. They require safety inspections both annually (a visual inspection, ~$15) and every five years (hydrostatic testing, ~$40). That said, once you have your own tank (along with everything else), you can dive anywhere you want, anytime you want.

There are two main materials used to make the tanks used in scuba diving: aluminum, and steel. Aluminum tanks are cheaper (~$160), but have poorer buoyancy characteristics (they float more than steel tanks). Steel tanks cost more (about $300), but are more negatively buoyant, allowing you to wear less lead on a weight belt (this is a good thing in most situations). The other thing to know about a tank is its rated pressure and capacity. Most tanks are filled to a pressure of about 3000 psi (pounds per square inch), although this varies from about 2400-3500psi (it'll say on the side of the tank). A typical capacity of a tank is 80cf (cubic feet), although this also varies (smaller divers may use smaller tanks, while larger individuals, who may use air more quickly than smaller divers, often purchase larger tanks, up to 130cf). Most recreational divers start with a "normal" tank, which is an 80cf aluminum cylinder. For most people, this is an adequate choice for recreational diving, but a steel tank is often worth the upgrade.

Scuba cylinders can have two different types of valves, each corresponding to a different style of regulator. The "yoke" style is the normally used one in the United States, while technical divers or those in other countries may use tanks and regulators with "DIN" fittings. If you're in the United States and don't plan to do any technical diving in the near future, a yoke tank valve is probably the better choice. Many (perhaps most) tanks sold now are coming with "convertible" valves, which actually accomodate both types of regulators.

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