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Scuba diving: setting up and testing your tanks

Scuba diving: setting up and testing your tanks

Scuba diving: setting up and testing your tanks Instructions on how to properly set up and test your scuba tanks, including safety tips.
  • Scuba cylinders, sometimes referred to as tanks or bottles, are the heart of the system that allows divers to remain underwater and explore the ocean realm. These devices come in a variety of styles, sizes, colors and material. From steel, to aluminum, to fiber reinforced, the variations in design lend the individual cylinder to specific requirements set forth by the manufacturer. As with any life-support equipment, it is always best to follow the manufacturer guidelines and have a professional, certified, technician service the device. What follows here is the basic information needed to set up and test a scuba tank/cylinder and is in no way designed to be a short-cut or replacement for professional service.
  • Proper handling of a scuba cylinder is important for the longevity of the cylinder itself and for the safety of the diver. Avoiding scratches, dents, or sudden impacts to the cylinder is necessary to ensure a long service life. External damage can weaken the cylinder, unseat the valve or cause the cylinder to not properly connect with other equipment, namely the first-stage of the regulator harness.
  • When setting up at a dive site, it is a good idea never to leave a tank standing unattended. Most divers prefer to lay their tanks on the ground/sand to avoid any damage to the tank or injury that could occur by the tank suddenly falling over. Tanks should only be kept upright if they are secured, such as on a dive boat or a dock equipped with cylinder restraints. Keep in mind that while resting the tank on its side is best, it is important to make sure the valve area is not covered with dirt or sand. A good accessory is a valve cover that can be kept in place until it is time to attach the first stage to the tank valve.
  • When attaching the first stage of the regulator harness to the tank valve, be sure to make sure the connection is free of debris and water. Stand the tank upright and support it with your body or have it braced against something (by this time, most divers will already have the tank attached to their BCD or buoyancy compensating device). Loosen the yoke screw and slip the ?A-clamp? over the tank valve. Make sure the first stage seats correctly against the o-ring on the tank valve. Tighten the yoke screw ?hand-tight? only. Slowly turn the air valve on the tank to its open position, being prepared to turn it back off if any problems arise. If no problems are noticed, open the air valve all the way and then turn it back one-half turn. At this point most divers will draw a few test breaths from their regulator to make sure everything is connected properly and no unusual resistance is noticed.
  • Once the first stage is connected to the tank/cylinder, and the tank secured to a buoyancy compensating device, again place the entire system on its side or have it secured in restraints. With the added pieces of the scuba system, the tank will become even more susceptible to falling over. Proceed with helping others set up their scuba systems and then prepare for a day full of diving and exploring the ocean realm.

    What is acupuncture?

    What is acupuncture?

    What is acupuncture? What does it do for pain? Is it for you?
    Do you enjoy having injections? Not, likely, you say. Well, how about voluntarily subjecting yourself to, not one, but multiple needle pricks, all in an attempt to relieve pain. If you think that only a masochist would allow such torture to his body, then you need to get up to scratch on acupuncture.
    Acupuncture originated in China some 250 years before the birth of Christ. The Chinese found that the insertion of fine needles stimulated or calmed certain parts of the body. Specifically, acupuncture was discovered to have the following effects:
    (1) Sedation: Prior to a tooth extraction, childbirth by Caesarean section or any number of medical procedures, acupuncture can sedate the patient without causing the none too pleasant side effects of vomiting and dizziness.
    (2) Relaxation: After treatment the patient feels as if a weight has been taken off his shoulders. His muscles feel loose and relaxed, as if he has just had a fantastic deep tissue massage.
    (3) Functional Modification: Muscular pain can be eased, if not eliminated, and functionally unhealthy conditions can be corrected.

    Sound pretty good, so far? Want to give it a try? Or, are you still not able to get over the needle thing? Well, calm down ? it's not that bad. Really.
    The acupuncture needles are, in fact, pleasantly unobtrusive. Although they vary in length from 5 to 7 centimetres, they are very fine. Made of silver or stainless steel, they have a thickness of just 0.1 millimetres. With a set of these tools and a metal guide tube the acupuncturist sets to work. Here's the routine he'll usually follow:
    (a) As an aid to diagnosis he will take the patient's pulse. He will also feel to determine the hardness of the muscles. He will then ascertain where the origin of a patient's pain is.
    (b) A needle will be inserted about an inch from the pain center. This will cause the nerves in that area to vibrate. Several smaller needles will be inserted around the same area.
    (c) The acupuncturist will now use reflexology techniques to insert a needle in the foot such that the area affecting the pained muscle is affected.
    (d) After treatment, the patient should rest for about 30 minutes before resuming with his day.

    The actual insertion of the needles is a matter of precision. The needle is placed in a guide tube held in the acupuncturist's left hand. The guide tube is slightly shorter than the needle itself. The acupuncturist will now give a light tap with his right index finger and the needle is painlessly inserted into the skin at exactly the right spot.
    So, just how does acupuncture work? Well, that is a secret that its Oriental practitioners are not ready to divulge. The closest to an explanation came from a life-long acupuncturist who said, "Acupuncture is simply our way of treating illness. The patient likes the personal touch that is sometimes regrettably missing in Western medical treatment. Through acupuncture we can ease pain and correct an unhealthy condition ? in other words, help one who is sick to regain reasonable health."
    If you want to do just that, perhaps it's time you went under the needle.
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