HP Steel vs. LP Steel or Aluminum Tanks

Scuba diving in Bahamas has become a popular past time in recent years. One important factor that is often overlooked is which scuba tank should be used, high-pressure, low-pressure, steel, or aluminum. Which tank should be used for best results can be somewhat complex, though. Choosing the wrong tank can not only make a dive more difficult, but it can put your life in mortal danger. This is why it is important to look at these important factors when making a decision.

When scuba diving, you must make a choice between high-pressure and low-pressure tanks. Which one you choose depends both upon your means and the nature of the diving you are doing. The higher the pressure within the tank, the stronger the material it is made of must be. This is determined by how many PSI have been pumped into the tank, which increases the pressure. Because low pressure tanks can hold a higher volume of air at lower levels than those of high level tanks, they can be overfilled, leading to a longer lasting supply. High pressure tanks, on the other hand, hold a smaller level of air at a higher pressure. This ends up making them less heavy than low pressure tanks. They are also usually built to be smaller, so they are good for smaller divers. Which might be good for leisurely scuba diving in Bahamas.

Steel tanks actually end up being lighter than their aluminum counterparts. This is because being made of steel instead of aluminum makes them stronger and so they tend to be made of less material. Having a lighter tank is useful if a diver plans on being out of the water for a length of time. The material the tank is made of also effects its capacity. Aluminum tanks tend to hold a larger amount of air, and so are more useful in deeper dives. A steel tank, able to hold more air, is more useful on a longer dive, which also helps with the tank being lighter. The buoyancy of the tank is another factor. For the most part, steel tanks will make a diver more buoyant as it is emptied than an aluminum tank, which is useful for longer dives as well. As far as quality, steel tanks tend to be more durable than steel. This is obviously a very important factor, especially on deeper dives. An aluminum tank will develop structural fractures more easily than steel, which can be dangerous. If a tank ruptures at the wrong time, it can be dangerous. As they are of a higher durability, steel tanks cost much more than aluminum. This is why, despite the higher capabilities of steel, aluminum tanks have become used much more widely.

It seems as though steel is more appropriate for diving. However, steel does have its problems. While aluminum tanks are easily maintained, steel tanks have to be taken care of. It is more likely to rust, and needs to be put through an oxidizing process.

So while the two are similar, it mostly depends on the use and function as well as the time and efffort the diver wishes to put into maintenance. This should help those trying to decide which tank to use when scuba diving in Bahamas.