Scuba Diving Tank Instructions

Making a mistake in setting up your tank and scuba gear for a dive will result in a leak and loss of air, reducing your dive time. Furthermore, as scuba tanks are filled with heavily compressed air, mishandling them has dangerous, potentially explosive consequences. Safely using the scuba tank and enjoying a successful dive requires the proper set-up of the tank and its associated scuba gear, following the instructions learned in dive school to the letter.

Instructions

    • 1

      Stand the tank up on the floor or scuba tank stand and fit the strap on the backplate of your buoyancy control device (BCD), the vest-like harness worn by divers, around the tank.

    • 2

      Adjust the BCD so its collar is on the same approximate level as the scuba tank's air valve. Then tighten the strap and lock down its buckle.

    • 3

      Place the valve of the regulator over the air valve of the scuba tank, so the nozzle of the regulator fits into the nozzle of the tank valve. Turn the knob to screw down the regulator's clamp, locking it into place on the scuba tank.

    • 4

      Take the BCD hose and pull back the locking collar at the end of the hose. Fit the BCD hose nozzle onto its mate on the BCD's inflation/deflation controller. Release the locking collar and give the hose a tug. If it doesn't come off, the locking collar snapped into the right position and your BCD is now connected to the regulator and the scuba tank.

    • 5

      Turn the knob on the scuba tank to open the tank. Check the air pressure gauge, which is on the end of one of the hoses coming out of the regulator. Check both of the mouthpieces on the regulator by either breathing from them or pushing the purge valve, or the button on the front of the mouthpiece. Press the inflator button on the BCD's controller and check that function as well.

    • 6

      Close the scuba tank valve if everything works. This prevents an accident from over-inflating your BCD or letting air out through a mouthpiece while you are not attending to your scuba gear. Then set the scuba tank with its attached equipment down on the ground on its side, or tie it off to the scuba tank stand. This prevents an accident from knocking over the tank and damaging either it, your gear or both.