A properly maintained diving tank will last a long, long time. However, properly maintained is the important part.
When returning from SCUBA, it’s important to do these things to keep your tank in perfect shape:
- Spray down all equipment with fresh water, even your tank.
- If you tank has a rubber boot, soak the tank in a 5 gallon bucket of water to pull the salt out of the space between the tank and the boot.
- Scuba tanks have two o-rings: one between the body of the tank and the yolk fitting and another where the yolk connects. These get replaced for free if we find a problem with them during testing, but it’s a good idea to carry a spare. Even a small leak between at this o-ring has a big impact on possible dive time.
- Use a soft brush while spraying down gets the salt out of all the nooks and crannies.
- Do not let your tank go to zero pressure. An open tank with zero pressure will get water into it which will corrode the tank over time. Interior pitting corrosion also generates particles which can fall into tubing if you become inverted underwater, possibly jamming your regulator.
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