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Get the SMACO Mini Scuba Tank Review
Aug
When the mid-summer comes, the Smaco mini scuba tank will become one of the most surprising summer recommendations. As a light version of the full-size tank, the biggest advantages of the mini tank are: light weight, easy of use and affordability.
While having the same function as a full-size tank, providing the air you breathe underwater, the mini scuba tank is used for a completely different situations.
Do I need to buy a mini scuba tank? How to choose the right one? Do you have doubts about using a mini tank for scuba diving? Or maybe you don’t have arguments in disputes… in any case, we want to solve these doubts and let the public know more about our products.
By collecting a large number of user reviews from SMACO scuba bottles, we hope you can get the most honest opinions and guidance from here.
# Where to use the mini scuba bottle
The capacity of the mini scuba tank is much smaller than the full size diving tank, so the duration of underwater breathing independence is limited, SMACO scuba tanks have different capacities from 0.5L to 2L, and the breathing time is kept in the interval of 6-25mins. The short duration of use determines that you will not be able to carry it to dive too deep. We recommend that the best stopping depth of the SMACO mini scuba tank is: within 3m, and the maximum safe diving depth is 10m. If used as a backup gas source for divers, the maximum depth should not exceed 30m. So, in the safe depth range, what are the most suitable situations for using mini scuba tanks, let’s take a look at what user reviews have to say:
01 Underwater Maintenance
Inspection and cleaning of the pool and bottom of the hull. If you want to do these things deeper and more comfortable, instead of holding your breath until you can’t help but go ashore and take a deep breath and continue, then the Mini Diving System is a great kit to help you.
-Jolly
That little tank is also great to use when cleaning/scraping the bottom of the boat
I think this would be great for cleaning the bottom of a boat. Just keep a small compressor and a really good filter on board.
– I can see how it would be useful to someone who doesn’t have scuba gear and only wants to dive for a quick inspection or maybe to clear a fouled prop.
– Andrew
overall, it works well, I also bought the attachment to fill from my scuba tank. I specifically got it to deal with hull inspection on my boat, and for that use it is well suited, so I bought it to use at depths no greater than 6-10 feet and for that it works well, my only downgrade is the short supply of air.
– 3865ron
I can see how it would be useful to someone who doesn’t have scuba gear and only wants to dive for a quick inspection or maybe to clear a fouled prop. This is a simple grab and go set up, takes seconds to put on.
Looks like it could be a useful bit of kit to have on board. Hope your feeling better, safe travels!
– They can be fun to use for short dives to inspect your boat, dive down to look at something or for fun. But you should get scuba training before using it.
– I was looking at this for cleaning sailboat bottom or checking prop when passage. For that, this is a great investment
This would be good for cleaning out a pool or just fixing something shallow underwater
Como todos vuestros vídeos…, además de graciosos, me parecen muy instructivos. Muchas veces he pensado en comprar un biberón, o botella de medio litro, por si hay q bajar a desenrocar el ancla, suele poner que dura unos 15 min, ya veo q no, mínimo la de 1 litro. Muchas gracias por compartir vuestra sabiduría marinera, todos quien más quien menos aprendemos algo, y encima nos reímos. Seguir así, saludos desde el Mar Menor.
02 Emergency backup air source
Reaching the physical limits of free diving, trouble with the main scuba gear, spearfishing and treasure hunting sports, or some emergencies on a submarine where you have to take a few extra minutes to breathe anyway, a mini scuba tanks can help you out of these dilemmas at critical moments.
I know alot of people diss on these but personally I love mine for freediving and use only if im not 100% confident ill make it to the top (ie: spare air). I am also padi certified so that definitely helps in the very few times I have actually used it during a freedive. Do not use below 15-20m imho.
Hello i am a padi certified diver i am attracted to using this in very shallow dives 20 ft or less i like this product for spear fishing in shallow water but please do get your padi certification before doing any kind of diving!!!
Mini tanks like this are quite useful at depths deeper than 25 feet. That is, if you are a SCUBA diver that has a product like this as an emergency, backup air source.
– KayakDIY
Totally useful product. The diving community bashes on them just because of the marketing to non-certified citizens as a toy. These are really useful for backup emergency air, dip diving for scouting spots, boat maintenance, and quick recovery of lost items in marina area. I want one for lightweight dip dives from kayak and as emergency offshore tank. I’m trained in scuba.
– nunabusiness
I see this as a good emergency back up for spearfishing. If you or your buddy get caught in line of hung up under a ledge…could buy you 7 minutes to get free.
03 Shallow recreational diving and snorkeling
Throw away your bulky and complicated gear for a while and just want to do easy diving in nearby shallow lakes, explore underwater scenery, lobster treasure hunts, or just enjoy snorkeling and diving while traveling, mini scuba tanks are great for helping you explore that. The small bottles are easy to put in the car and not difficult to carry even on long trips as they are very easy to disassemble and assemble. Check out the real reviews below:
– Eddie
I had a wonderful vacation with this tank.It makes me crazy that I use this to treasure hunt in the river and it works perfect as a lightweight tank that helps me stay under longer. Gives you about 20 minutes underwater maybe a bit more. Easily refilled with a little muscle. Perfect for quick recreation. Over all I recommend it.
– Customer
This could be the perfect gift for anyone that for one reason or another don’t have a full setup always with them, this is much easier to load in the car for when you go on vacation with the family.
– All Things Random
That is what I always recommend. I recommend that someone snorkels over what they would like to go down and see, then use the apparatus to dive down and kind a look around for a little bit and then go back up safely.
This is perfect for a quick 5 meter dive at sea.
– interrobangings
This sounds like the perfect thing to bring while snorkeling shallower waters and you want to retrieve something a little too deep before immediately surfacing
As a certified scuba diver and snorkeler, I can definitely see a place for this if used properly. I am thinking about getting one for my snorkeling in shallow depths. 3m or less. It would give me more time to pop down and take a better look at something or possibly spend some time digging out something buried. I often get asked to retrieve stuff that people lost at boat launches and docks. Setting up scuba gear for 10 minutes underwater is not fun and snorkeling in murky water with having to go up and down constantly hinders any searching. If I had basically a buddy bottle to pop down for 10 minutes and do what I needed to do, that would be a perfect in between from snorkeling to scuba.
04 Diving training and other uses
If you’re a certified scuba diver, you can use the mini tank for scuba training in the pool and easily maintain a high-frequency diving experience. Of course, mini scuba tank has other uses besides water sports and rescue: emergency backup air source for fire rescue.
– Chris W.
Great unit and extremely reasonable price. I am a certified scuba diver with 100+ Successful dives. Honestly I am extremely impressed with how well All the components of this product work. Exactly what you would expect from high-end professional diving equipment. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to family and friends they want to get a refresher in before they go on vacation with scuba diving planned. As a lot of us are not able to go as much as we would like to this is a great way to get acclimated and ready so that you can enjoy the dives you have planned.
– Shannon McCoy
I am a retired Dive Master Instructor and I couldn’t have done a better job. I always kept a Spare Air on my gear as a back up but you are exactly right. Its not a toy and one should get certified if one wants to SCUBA dive. If its a Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus then its SCUBA folks so get trained. That said a couple of uses you didn’t cover are using it on land. For example I always kept one next to my bed in case of waking during a fire. If you wake up and the room is filled with smoke it helps to have a fresh air source to use while you help your family get out of the house or if they need a fresh breath. This is one of many uses for these bottles above that water that make them invaluable. Another is checking the prop on a boat or clearing a line when you need to stay under a bit while you work but don’t want or have a full dive rig. Cheers and keep rocking it lil brother.
# How long does the mini scuba tank last? What is the depth of use?
01 Lasting time
How long can a mini scuba tank last? First of all, it depends on the capacity of the tank, the higher the capacity, the longer it will last.
SMACO Full Range of Mini Scuba Bottles/ Capacity / Breathing Time:
- S300Plus / 0.5 liter/ 5-10mins
- S500 / 0.7 liter / 6-12mins
- S400 / 1 liter / 15-20mins
- 400Plus / 1 liter/ 15-20mins
- S400Pro / 1 liter / 15-20mins
- S700 / 2 liter / 20-25mins
The specific use time of SMACO mini scuba bottle is determined by physical exertion, breathing rate, water depth and temperature. If you dive deeper, the use time will be shorter. Of course, when you use it at a low depth or near the surface, and have corresponding training, the lasting time will be longer.
Data from real user reviews:
– estera czacharowska S300
My 0,5 L tank lasted 13 minutes at 1 meter. I’m 14 and 110 pounds. Then at 10 m it would last 6 min
– MLB -LIVE S400
I own smaco s400. i use a yong heng compressor and i get about 18 mins breathing time, based on my breathing rythm. I like my tank. For shallow diving is great. Love it. Smooth to breath too
– MediaBoxEnt S400
Getting ready to go to the beach and explore! this mini scuba tank was simple to learn how to use, it gives me comfortable 15 to 20 minutes to explore under water, even when I only stay for 10 minutes at a time, it is nice to know that there is always extra time!
– István (46) – Hungary S700
The big one… with slow breathing rate I reached 60 minutes at 1.2 meters, But I love all of them! Simple to handle, good quality (have 30 hours within two weeks with two S700 (1.9L) and one S400 (1.0L) in swimming pool, 960 liters and few minutes over 3 hours, if I work hard 2 hours, but never less.
02 Diving depth
The mini tank is not designed for deep diving. It mainly meets the needs of deep diving within 10 meters. We recommend that the best stop depth is: within 3m underwater. When used as a backup gas source, the maximum depth should not exceed 30m. The safe depth is the diver’s lifeline, keep this depth every time, keep breathing steadily until you surface, and never hold your breath.
Its very dangerous as you said for non divers but great starter kit for somebody whos learning/aware of how diving works or getting certified and dont want to use bcd rig everytime for full diving sessions. For myself i will get this 2l this summer as i get my local certification or will wait for 3l version and use it at where i ussualy snorkel/freedive not below 10 meters since where i live we have black sea and its not that great at a larger depth.
These products are meant to be used within there limits by people with common sense. I have used this product with good results but wouldn’t recommend for more than 10′ depth. Be comfortable underwater and never hold your breath. I am a certified diver. Buoyancy is a big issue, but again, common sense should tell user to stay within their limits, if not, buyer beware.
Overall, this is like a purchase recommendation and operation guide for those who are considering of using our diving equipment to learn more about where to use and what to pay attention for the SMACO mini scuba tank. Diving is not a game, but it seems like a game that allows you to immerse yourself in the fun of the water, provided you learn enough to dive and have a clear understanding of what you are doing and its dangers.
For the above four types of uses, SMACO mini scuba tank is definitely a great work underwater partner, backup protection and a good product for adding fun. If you approve of these, then it will be a worthwhile investment for yourself and your family. Hope you enjoy your purchase and use! Remember diving safety always comes first!!
