Questions about Scuba tanks

[paintball_commando]

I know this should belong in the airsystems forum but no one ever goes in there. This is my question, I was looking at http://www.scuba.com at their scuba tanks and found that the aluminum tanks are about $120 for a 80 cubic foot tank with 3000+ PSI. First is this a good price, second what types of valves do I need to purchase to fill my paintball tanks, and third I've heard about people saying you need 3 tanks to cascade or something, what is that and why do you need three tanks to fill one HPA paintball tank. Any help would be great. Oh and where can you get them filled? Same with the big CO2 tanks.

[in trauma]

all you need is a yoke with a gauge
but that seems like a good price but when scub tanks get old they have know to explode

[Sid]

You can easily use scuba tanks as an air source. The reason why they explode when they get old is because they are filled with nitrox... which can explode. I think this is different then regular air in that it is much more pure, and since its basically fuel, it can be dangerous.

If you could fill it with regular air, you'd be okay. You do need a fill station though.

[filasophikal]

i had one, and then i sold it... it got pointless after awhile, trying to lug it around, so i can get it filled. my scuba tank was brand new, when i bought it, and was fillable to 5000 psi. The price i got it for was $80.00, $120 seems steep for one that can go 3000 psi. But, when you get it make sure have a safe place to store it, and a safe place for traveling. At some scuba shops they sell some kind of harness to lug it around, so it would be easier to carry it, and make sure the bottom has a stubby, so it will protect the bottom for dings. Basically treat it like a nitro tank on your gun - as an important investment for the long term.

[SunTzu]

All certified scuba divers raise their hands. Me the only one? Okay. TO answer you questions commando, shop around you can do better and dont be afraid of used tanks. As long as they are hydroded every 5 years and visualy inspected every year they will be fine. My is the same age as me, 24 years. Make sure you get a K valve. I had a J valve on mine and had to get it changed because the fill station would not fit due to the design. The cascadeing of tanks is when you run a field or something like that and do not have a compressor/booster. A standard 3000psi tanks like you describe would get me 2 or 3 fills for the day. Plenty for how I shoot. # or four cascaded tanks could give you 10-12 or more fills. Basically it keep the pressure up by taking air evenly from all the tanks. You can get the air tank filled at any scuba shop. THe problem you may run into is some places will not fill you unless you are a certified diver. If not invite the owner to play some day or see if you can workl out a deal like a waiver or something.
As for the big CO2 tanks, at the lab I work at we have an outside contracter handle the tanks. Sometimes you can get a welding shop or someplace like that to get new tanks.
OUT

FLASH Notrox os not a fuel, It is a gas mix that has a bit more oxygen so you can stay down longer and not get nitrogen narcosis or the bends.
A properly hydroed and filled tank will not explode. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A CURRENT HYDRO STAMP AND A TRAINED TECH FILL THE SCUBA TANK!!!!!!!!!!

[Edited by SunTzu on 07-19-2001 at 02:17 AM]

[paintballer56]

pretty good price might i say

[fear my impulse]

my tank holds more ;)