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#371
What are the Advantages of Doing a Nitrox Course
Quinton - 8/28/2007 6:18 AM
Category: Training
Replies: 12

I have my Padi Advanced and am thinking of doing a Nitrox course, I don`t fully understand the advantages and disadvantages of diving with Nitrox. Most of my diving is done between 98ft and 130ft and I find my bottom time very short at those depths, would Nitrox help extend my dive time and what are there any dangers diving on a Nitrox mix?
#3979
DalelynnSims - 8/28/2007 7:04 AM
In a few words Yes more bottom time, surface intervals can be shorter as well.

Depending on the table/computer your using the TBT for air at 60` is about 55 min. With nitrox, depending on the mix, you could be down longer than your air supply would last and be within the NDL. The depth that you indicated is the optimum depth for nitrox where it is most advantageous.

With everything in scuba there are things to consider. During your nitrox class you will learn that the partial pressure of oxygen and total oxygen absorption in your system are things that you need to consider. You track these similar to what you do with residual nitrogen today as oxygen toxicity is something you need to be aware of.

Everything that you need to know will be covered in your basic nitrox class so ask lots of questuions and enjoy!

Take care and Best Fishes!! `•.¸¸.•´¯`•.¸>
#2248
SKEETER - 8/28/2007 8:31 AM
You can incress your tbt by 25% 10 min on a 100` or 20 or 30 min on less depts.
#51828
Greg - 8/28/2007 9:11 AM
I`ve heard you don`t get the munchies as bad and some people that get headaches after diving, don`t with nitrox. These could be made up stories though since I haven`t experienced them myself.

Main benefit of Nitrox: Dive longer (due to less Nitrogen load), but not as deep (due to Oxygen Toxicity concerns).
#51828
Greg - 8/28/2007 9:14 AM
But the icreased bottom times everyone talks about are according to the dive planner charts. They mean you "could" dive longer because of the lowered amount of nitrogen. But you`re still going to consume the air in the tank just as fast as you normally would. Assuming your breathing rate doesn`t change and you`re using the same size tank, your actual bottom time won`t change. You just won`t need as long of a surface interval before you get back in the water.
#936
fishome25 - 8/28/2007 2:35 PM
I see no reason to spend the extra money on shallow dives. But for deeper dives you can def extend your bottom time. Last week i did a dive w/ air and i came up w/ 1300 psi b/c my bottom time ran out. If I brought my nitrox tank I could have stayed down longer. I do get headaches after diving and when using nitrox I don`t. Also when I was in Bonaire do repetitive dives like 5 a day. the first 2 days i used air and was exhausted, after that i switched to 32% nitrox and felt energized.
#765
twist - 8/29/2007 8:52 AM
In addition to the above benefits, your surface interval is much shorter than with air & I definitely feel less tired when I dive Nitrox than when I dive Air. I`ve found it worth the money I spent on the class & depending on depth & # of dives -- I like having the choice.
#493
FritziB - 8/29/2007 10:41 PM
I will attest to the headache thing- none with Nitrox! I never thought about that munchie thing until Greg mentioned it...but now that it`s come up- I`d have to say that`s true too!
#1003
bpsf1 - 8/31/2007 5:27 PM
I have heard that the Columbian Nitrox is better than the homegrown...
#1402
naturewalker - 9/04/2007 8:27 PM
What this means in real life is if you are diving with NITROX 32%, you would simply never go deeper that 130 feet of water on that particular dive. This is an absolute rule that cannot be broken. But in reality, how often do you go that deep anyway ? And if you NEED to, then grab a cylinder of air. NITROX is actually limited to even shallower depths than air due to the increased oxygen content. The deepest you would want to use a standard NITROX mixture of 32% would be 130 FSW. Other mixtures, such as EAN 26 and EAN 28 can be used deeper, provided you are certified and trained and equipped to go to those depths.
#1266
ScottPadipro - 9/09/2007 9:07 PM
Wow, I see some really bad information here and vert little good info. First let me start by saying that I am a PADI Nitrox Instructor with certifications in Advantanced Nitroix & Decompression Procedures from TDI. I`ve been diving nitrox regulary for nearly 15 years and do decompression dives using 50 to 100% oxygen. If you`re experiencing headaches after a dive it is because of carbondioxide retention. You`re not breathing slow and deep like you were taught in your openwater class. CO2 builds up in your system and will cause a headache that soon fades after surfacing. Nitrox has more O2 in it so yes it will lessen the headaches but the underlying problem is still there. Breath slow and deep to fully exchange the gas in your lungs and airway with each breath. This will prevent the headaches from occuring int he first place. (Continued)
#1266
ScottPadipro - 9/09/2007 9:27 PM
Nitrox 32 is NOT used to a depth of 130FSW. This would put your PPO2 at 1.58 ATA, dangerously high. EAN 32 has a maximum opperating depth, or MOD of 111FSW according to recreational diving standards. This puts the PPO2 at 1.4 ATA, the maximum limit for recreational diving. The only time a diver would ever push this 1.4 ATA limit is during an emergency or the decompression phase of a dive where it is acceptable (according to technicial diving standards) to raise this limit to 1.6 ATA to aid in decompression. There are oxygen exposure limits that a diver has to be concerned with when diving nitrox just like you have nitrogen exposure limits (NDL`s) when diving air. These are time limits that become very short when approching the 1.6 ATA level. Over exposure to O2 can cause an Epileptic type seizure called CNS Oxygen Toxicity,not a good thing to have happen when underwater. If you have more questions please ask a professional so you get the correct answers. Dive safe, Scott
#875
PegLeg - 12/18/2007 11:04 AM
I agree with Scott, you received some good and bad info. Talk with a Dive Professional for any questions around diving with different air mixtures. Take the training if it`s something you`re interested in, you`ll learn everything you need to know about diving on EAN. The PADI course was great, been diving on EAN for 6 years, was a bit hesitant a first but once I took the course and understood it all, it was easy.