When would you use Nitrox?

[ccuda]

You would use Nitrox more often in warm water climates where you wanted to improve your safety and the amount of bottom you can safely spend at depth. It is typically required you stay more shallow because of the oxygen build-up. Typically no deeper than 130ft or even more shallow the more oxygen content. <br><br>I think most people think of Nitrox in the wrong way. You dive on air right? Air IS Nitrox. You have 20.9% O2, (21% rounded), and 79% Nitrogen. you have limits on your depth and bottom time for the average diver's safety. Same thing with Enriched Air Nitrox.<br><br>A great place to use Nitrox is liveaboards! 3, 4, 5 dives a day can really wear you down. Building all the excess nitrogen makes you more fatigued, you increase your DCS chances, and degrease the amount of bottom time for your sequential dives. Improving your vacation value is by doing the dives on Nitrox. (And for locally, most store who offer air filss are around $5-6, Nitrox is usually $10-12.)<br><br>An example, according to most recreational standars, you have a max bottom time of 55 minutes at 60 feet on air. With a 36% blend, you can spend 115 minutes, that is a huge consideration if you are returning to that depth again for your next dive, or you are doing multiple dives, or want to get the most out of just one dive. (Some can make a tank last longer than others.)<br><br>It's nice to have the training under your belt, as if your on vacation, some places offer unlimited Nitrox use for their packages or at a fee. Maybe $75-100 more. If you are going to remain within the standrard recreational limits (130fsw), then there isa no reason to ever dive air again on those dives. <br><br>Nitrox is safer, more healthy, as you are packing more partial pressure of O2 along the hemoglobin in the bloodstream which flushes more nitrogen (a useless gas for the body) from your system that straight compressed air. That'a also why some of us use it even after deeper dives on a safety stop, it's a big benefit!<br><br>Locally, it's not as much benefit because few of us spend 4 dives in the water without the cold creeping in, but it's a great futue potential if you have the Nitrox background.<br><br>And for those of us who want to explore the realm of Rebreathers, Nitrox certification is a pre-requisite.