Float Arm choices?

[juliabahlsen 7]

I'm currently upgrading from a Nauticam 5D Mark III set up with extension ring 50, 8.5in acrylic dome and either Inon strobes or Kraken lights to the Nauticam 1DX Mk II system w/ extension ring 90, 230mm optical glass dome and Keldan 8X lights.

 

The new set up is obviously significantly heavier and will be negatively buoyant (my last one was almost perfectly neutral), and I'm currently looking at the STiX float arms to add to my ultralights, or to buy the ultralight aluminium float arms - do you guys have any thoughts/tips on this?

[Interceptor121 768]

Unless you have a table with the underwater weight of each items the best thing to do is to build the rig and then weight it in water (you can use a luggage scale) to see how much lift you need. Typically float arms can give you more lift than floats however once you have them you cant reduce the lift so you need to be careful

If the amount of lift you need can be obtained with stix floats this remains a more flexible option

[Davide DB 493]

Interceptor121 is right.

 

Based on the kind of diving you do, consider that Stix works max to 40 meters.

[echo2600 10]

Based on the kind of diving you do, consider that Stix works max to 40 meters.

This is very true... mine went to 70 meters, a few times, and now they collapse by 24 meters... This is certainly not a great situation...

[Interceptor121 768]

This is very true... mine went to 70 meters, a few times, and now they collapse by 24 meters... This is certainly not a great situation...

 

Once you damage the structure of the cells it is unlikely you are getting the same lift. I would check if this is the case and trash them

 

At present there are few solutions for float arms made in ABS (70 meters I believe) and Carbon Fiber (100 meters) as DavideDB says you need to check what diving you do

 

Recreational max 40 Floats closed cells PVC and similar

Deeper max 70 meters ABS

Below 70 meters Carbon Fibre

[Davide DB 493]

Actually closed cell pc foam is ok until you choose the right density.

Stix is made for recreational use. Other types can withstand to huge pressure. Easydive is guaranteed to 250m.

 

In the past I used both brands:

 

https://www.easydive.it/bracci-e-accessori-di-supporto/galleggianti/square-easy-float.25.html

 

http://www.adval.it/galleggiamento.html

Actually closed cell pc foam is ok until you choose the right density.

Stix is made for recreational use. Other types can withstand to huge pressure. Easydive is guaranteed to 250m.

 

In the past I used both brands:

 

https://www.easydive.it/bracci-e-accessori-di-supporto/galleggianti/square-easy-float.25.html

 

http://www.adval.it/galleggiamento.html

[ChrisRoss 150]

I have good experience with INON ABS float arms but I don't dive that deep. But you can't guess, buy one of those luggage scales and weigh the rig in water, fresh water is fine, it's only a few % more buoyant in salt and you probably don't want to push all the way to neutral. INON publishes underwater weight for all their equipment incl strobes, arms etc. Here is the link: http://www.inon.jp/products/armsystem/weight_table.html

 

You'll need a different setup between the strobes and the lights, the Z330 is only very slightly negative underwater, and it will change significantly between different ports. Once you know the weight of everything, add it up then add enough buoyancy to cancel it out without going positive.

[TimG 62]

Quite tricky as so much depends on what bits of gear you’re using. If you always use exactly the same, then it’s relatively easy to do the luggage scale test and balance for that. But if you do different dives with differing bits of equipment, you will likely have to change the buoyancy system if you are determined to stay neutrally buoyant.

I’ve found Stix very good and use them on 2x 8” and 2x 5” ULCSs. This gives me a negativish setup with a macro port (and 2x Inon Z240s) and almost neutral with a domeport.

I tried using a pair of Inon Megafloats but found those annoyingly too buoyant with the domeport.

After much messing about I gave up trying to get everything neutrally buoyant - for me changing arms as well as ports was just not worth all the effort. Not to mention even more gear to lug around.

So now it’s the Stix loaded up on the ULCSs. Domeport is pretty good and I just cope with the negativish macro setup. Using a lanyard... just in case.....

[juliabahlsen 7]

Thank you so much everyone! This really helps, I really appreciate it

[ashokmenon 0]

Hi - I'm using the Kraken adjustable float arms and they are marvelous and allow you to control your housing buoyancy depending on the lens set up you're using.

[ReefHound 2]

Quite tricky as so much depends on what bits of gear you’re using. If you always use exactly the same, then it’s relatively easy to do the luggage scale test and balance for that. But if you do different dives with differing bits of equipment, you will likely have to change the buoyancy system if you are determined to stay neutrally buoyant.

 

I’ve found Stix very good and use them on 2x 8” and 2x 5” ULCSs. This gives me a negativish setup with a macro port (and 2x Inon Z240s) and almost neutral with a domeport.

 

I tried using a pair of Inon Megafloats but found those annoyingly too buoyant with the domeport.

 

After much messing about I gave up trying to get everything neutrally buoyant - for me changing arms as well as ports was just not worth all the effort. Not to mention even more gear to lug around.

 

So now it’s the Stix loaded up on the ULCSs. Domeport is pretty good and I just cope with the negativish macro setup. Using a lanyard... just in case.....

 

I like my rig to be neutral but for tripod work it needs to be negative enough to stay put in light current or surge so I carry a few 1 pound bullet weights clipped onto a D-ring that I transfer to the tray for tripod use. Using that idea, you might use float arms enough to make your heaviest setup neutral then for lighter setups just clip on weights as needed. When I'm weighting for tripod use I'm not needing to be precise but weighting for precise neutral buoyancy you might need a number of 4/5/6 ounce bullet weights. Or do the homework and make a chart of your various combinations and the weight needed then just clip on that precise amount before the dive.

[germie 8]

Stix already looses lift around 30m.

I now have China 'Carbon' arms and they work well till at least 60m. Will try them to 120m next month.

[sinetwo 26]

On 5/14/2019 at 2:19 PM, germie said:

Stix already looses lift around 30m.

I now have China 'Carbon' arms and they work well till at least 60m. Will try them to 120m next month.

@germie what's the long term verdict for these?