Scuba vs snorkeling ?

[twistedtree]

For those of you with Hooka's....can you use them to fill a tank ?

No. The Hooka pressure is order 100 psi, and tank pressure is 3000-5000 psi. So a specialized, high pressure compressor is needed to fill tanks.

 

[Benthic2]

Thanks.

 

[diver dave]

But... if you fill a 20 gallon shop air tank with the hooka compressor, u can now use air tools, even underwater. At least for a short job. I have drilled underwater with a cheap HF drill.

 

[Cigatoo]

So is a hooka a safe alternative to tanks? Sorry for dumb questions but I know nothing about diving. I always thought that it sounded like a cheaper but perhaps unsafe alternative. I have no facts to base that thought on.

 

[diver dave]

Generally viewed as safer since max depth is limited. The small but added risks are hose entanglement and lack of warning with out of air

 

[stubones99]

You may have to open any tanks when you cross an international border for a tank inspection. I know that we left our tanks here when we went to the Bahamas since it would take longer to clear through security and require a scuba place to seal it back up and pressurize them.

Get certified for Scuba even if you use hooka

 

[Sabre602]

For folks who aren't certified divers but who are already familiar with snorkeling, the biggest difference is this: if you take a breath of compressed air underwater...whether from a tank or a hose...you've introduced something new: the possibility of a pressure-related injury. The deeper you go, the higher the risk, so close to the surface is less "dangerous," but you can easily sustain injury using a hookah without proper training.

I was once the surface tender for a friend who was sending a video feed to the surface, using a communications mask to talk to a group of students on a marine biology field trip. He was in about 25 feet of water. When he came up he was in a lot of distress. This extremely fit and experienced diver had suffered a pressure-related injury and had a large hemopneumothorax. It required emergent needle thoracostomy to save his life before we could get him ashore to an ambulance.

I have GREAT respect for compressed air.

 

[Benthic2]

I think I would add to the added risks, exceeding the no decompression limits, since you can theoretically stay down all day, and CO poisioning.

I think statistically hookah diving is more dangerous than scuba, however I would say the higher risk is not due to equipment, but the lack of training, as certification is not required for hookah diving, but is for scuba.

From Scuba Diving Magazine:

An Australian study a few years ago showed hookah divers a.k.a SNUBA with a DCI* rate ten times greater than scuba divers. No one told them the dangers of staying down and the surface supply air came as long as the pump was running. Advance open water training is a must if you want to go deeper than OWD depths.

*DCI = decompression illness

 

[jimisbell]

I had a Hooka and never used it because of the one risk not yet mentioned. The air you breathe is ONLY as good as what the Hooka sucks in. Normally not a problem.....unless you are near other boats with running engines or your Gen set is running...or...the compressor leaks oil into the air it compresses........or? With bottled air, from a certified shop, you know what you are breathing.

 

[diver dave]

I think I would add to the added risks, exceeding the no decompression limits, since you can theoretically stay down all day, and CO poisioning.

I think statistically hookah diving is more dangerous than scuba, however I would say the higher risk is not due to equipment, but the lack of training, as certification is not required for hookah diving, but is for scuba.

From Scuba Diving Magazine:

An Australian study a few years ago showed hookah divers a.k.a SNUBA with a DCI* rate ten times greater than scuba divers. No one told them the dangers of staying down and the surface supply air came as long as the pump was running. Advance open water training is a must if you want to go deeper than OWD depths.

*DCI = decompression illness

Yes, I forgot... There have been numerous Bahamian lobsterman over the years sent to chambers using hookah. Of course, these guys would push both the time and depth limits, using 100feet of hose.

 

[Fletcher500]

Scuba is much safer than walking across the street, but there are risks are others have noted if you plan on going deeper. I have a good friend who walks with a cane due to a diving incident 30 years ago. Personally, I am in the non compressed air camp. I know a lot of people who also free dive, and no one has passed out, or "had to be saved" but the people I know are trained athletes and worked up to it. There are inherent risks involved when not on the couch eating chips.

 

[diver dave]

I had a Hooka and never used it because of the one risk not yet mentioned. The air you breathe is ONLY as good as what the Hooka sucks in. Normally not a problem.....unless you are near other boats with running engines or your Gen set is running...or...the compressor leaks oil into the air it compresses........or? With bottled air, from a certified shop, you know what you are breathing.

True also. But, numerous cases of bad air from certified scuba vendors. I've had a bad air fill (in the islands) via a shop and via a portable compressor, and a bad nitrox fill from a domestic shop; they gave me a 20% helium mix instead of a 32% nitrox mix. That would have resulted in a DCS hit, if I didn't test the mix before I left the shop.

All told, these risks are small, compared to the underwater stupid human tricks that are done...

 

[OldDan1943]

Hooka or SCUBA diving or free diving, the key requirements and recommendations are common sense, know your limits and do not exceed your limits.

 

[diver dave]

You may have to open any tanks when you cross an international border for a tank inspection. I know that we left our tanks here when we went to the Bahamas since it would take longer to clear through security and require a scuba place to seal it back up and pressurize them.

Get certified for Scuba even if you use hooka

I've had US CBP make me turn tanks upside down and let out some gas to see if anything unusual happened. But, that was by private plane. DOT and FAA say no-go on commercial passenger planes. I have had numerous Bahamian customs officers stumble over a dozen tanks on board boats and never mentioned anything about them. Including 250cf tanks.

 

[siestakey]

For those of you with Hooka's....can you use them to fill a tank ?

No not even close enough presure

 

[firstbase]

Apologize for lack of knowledge but isn't there something in-between scuba and hooka? A small bottle of air used for short stays in the water? Seems I remember seeing an ad or picture of something like that?

 

[OldDan1943]

Apologize for lack of knowledge but isn't there something in-between scuba and hooka? A small bottle of air used for short stays in the water? Seems I remember seeing an ad or picture of something like that?

Pony tank and then, there is the Spare Air.
The Spare Air has a built in regulator and provides ONE breath, last resort, end to the line.
I think the pony tank, with standard regulatory and provides a supposed 15 minutes of air.
Then, I think, a little bit larger tank for 30 minutes with a standard regulatory.
In reality, all times are approximate based upon the individual.

 

[Benthic2]

In shallow water the spare aire would give you a few minutes but you'd need to have a regular tank to fill it from, and if you're going to buy a real tank....you might as well get a regulator and use that. The cost would be less, and you'd get more time.

 

[OldDan1943]

In shallow water the spare aire would give you a few minutes but you'd need to have a regular tank to fill it from, and if you're going to buy a real tank....you might as well get a regulator and use that. The cost would be less, and you'd get more time.

If I recall correctly, the Spare Air is a 'throw away' because it cant be hydroed.
Of course if the owner refills the Spare Air from a larger tank, no one will know. LOL

I have seen pictures of guys with 3 full size tanks on their back and a pony tank horizontally mount either under the 3 tanks or on their chest. On land, that is more weight thank I can carry in 5 trips. Underwater, perhaps no need for a weight belt. LOL Macho, macho man, I wanna be a macho man.

 

[Benthic2]

The older spare air's supposedly didn't need a hydro as they were only 1800psi, but the new ones are similar to a normla tank ( 3000psi). Visual every year, hydro every 5.

Those guys with multiple tanks are usually doing very technical diving, with a different breathing mixture in each tank. I believe an aluminum tank is only 4 pounds negatively bouyant when full, and is actually bouyant when emtpy. Those multi tank set ups are cumbersome but not heavy underwater, and with a little air in your drysuit/BC you're neutral.

 

[ssobol]

Apologize for lack of knowledge but isn't there something in-between scuba and hooka? A small bottle of air used for short stays in the water? Seems I remember seeing an ad or picture of something like that?

If you're going to be breathing high pressure air, which is anything other than a snorkel, you should have proper training.

The only difference between a large tank and a small tank is the length of time you can spend underwater. It is still SCUBA (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus).

 

[Benthic2]

well....with the small tanks you don't have to worry about the no decompression limits as much, as you don't have enough air to exceed them.