Which Size Aluminium Scuba Cylinder Is Right For You?

The right choice of aluminium scuba tank is mostly dependent on what you're using it for.

Catalina S80 (11.1 litre, 80 cubic foot), 207 bar — The S80 is the benchmark 'Standard Aluminium 80' cylinder used by the majority of recreational sport divers worldwide. A pair of these S80 size cylinders is the most popular sidemount choice. They are also used as stage cylinders by technical divers doing very long run times.

Catalina S40 (5.7 litre, 40 cubic foot), 207 bar — The S40 is a popular for stage cylinders by technical divers, and as bailout cylinders for rebreather divers.

Catalina S19 (2.7 litre, 19 cubic foot), 207 bar — The S19 makes an excellent choice as an emergency air source tank (pony bottle) for recreational sport divers, and as bailout cylinders for rebreather divers. It has also become popular as an oxygen deco tank as its capacity is plenty for all but the most extreme dives.

Low and High Pressure Aluminium Scuba Diving Cylinders

Aluminium scuba cylinders, unlike steel cylinders, don't rust, they oxidise. The oxidisation of aluminium forms a protective coat that hinders the continuation of corrosion making aluminium cylinders less likely to be condemned due to excessive corrosion.

Catalina Cylinders are high grade aluminium constructed especially to meet Australian safety standards.

Negatively buoyant when empty

Rugged enough for rental gear or sport diving

Available in two different pressure ratings: 228 bar and 207 bar

Available with or without DIN / K convertible valve

Regulation and Inspection: All Catalina seamless aluminium alloy compressed gas cylinders are manufactured in accordance with US Department Of Transport (DOT) 3AL and Transport of Canada (TC) 3ALM requirements. Every cylinder is inspected and tested by a DOT and TC authorised independent inspection agency. All Catalina cylinders supplied in Australia are stamped with the Australian Standards Authority Number.

Material: Every cylinder is produced from high strength aluminium alloy 6061-T6
Neck Thread: 3/4 inch – 14 NPSM

All cylinders from The Scuba Doctor dive shop are visually inspected and shipped with a current hydrostatic date (except where indicated).

Toms Reef

Reef Dive | Boat access

Depth: 12 m (39 ft) to 24 m (79 ft)

Level: Advanced Open Water

Toms Reef is just outside of the Port Phillip Heads on the Point Nepean side and is a popular dive site for catching Crayfish. It lies in an area of scattered reef offshore from the back beaches of the Mornington Peninsula in the Bass Strait with depths ranging from 12 to 30 metres. The sea life in this is area is prolific with Crayfish, Blue Devils, Weedy Seadragons, Seals, Abalone and much more.

The Soft calcium that comprises most of the terrain in this area has eroded into lots of little swim throughs valleys and overhangs all topped off with a light scattering of kelp. This is a fantastic dive site for an avid fish photographer.

Bass Strait Warning: Always keep an eye on sea conditions throughout any shore or boat dive in Bass Strait on Victoria's coastline. Please read the warnings on the web page diving-in-bass-strait before diving or snorkelling this site.

Abalone Dive Site
© Mark Norman, Museum Victoria

Divers have the opportunity to catch Abalone at this dive site. Remember your catch bag, legal abalone tool, current Victorian Recreational Fishing Licence, and abalone measure. Please abide by all current fishing regulations if you intend to catch abalone.

See article-catching-abalone for practical abalone hunting advice from The Scuba Doctor, plus melbourne-abalone-dives for a list of other Abalone dive sites near Melbourne.

Divers have the opportunity to catch Southern Rock Lobster (aka Crayfish) at this dive site. Remember your catch bag, current Victorian Recreational Fishing Licence, rock lobster measure, and cray tags. Once you get back to the dive boat, or shore, make sure you clip the tail and tag your Crayfish as per Fisheries requirements. Please abide by all current fishing regulations if you intend to catch crays. See article-catching-crayfish for practical cray hunting advice from The Scuba Doctor, plus melbourne-cray-dives for a list of other crayfish dive sites near Melbourne. For tips on cooking your Crays, please see article-cooking-crayfish.

Boon Wurrung / Bunurong country

Traditional Owners — This dive site is in the traditional Country of the Boon Wurrung / Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation. This truly ancient Country includes parts of Port Phillip, from the Werribee River in the north-west, down to Wilson's Promontory in the south-east, including the Mornington Peninsula, French Island and Phillip Island, plus Western Port. We wish to acknowledge the Boon Wurrung as Traditional Owners. We pay respect to their Ancestors and their Elders, past, present and emerging. We acknowledge Bunjil the Creator Spirit of this beautiful land, who travels as an eagle, and Waarn, who protects the waterways and travels as a crow, and thank them for continuing to watch over this Country today and beyond.

Toms Reef Location Map

Latitude: 38° 20.905′ S (38.348417° S / 38° 20′ 54.3″ S)
Longitude: 144° 41.748′ E (144.6958° E / 144° 41′ 44.88″ E)
Datum: WGS84 | Google Map
Added: 2012-07-22 09:00:00 GMT, Last updated: 2022-04-06 21:57:18 GMT
Source: GPS
Nearest Neighbour: Portsea Back Beach Wall, 312 m, bearing 314°, NW
Depth: 12 to 24 m.

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DISCLAIMER: No claim is made by The Scuba Doctor as to the accuracy of the dive site coordinates listed here. Should anyone decide to use these GPS marks to locate and dive on a site, they do so entirely at their own risk. Always verify against other sources.

The marks come from numerous sources including commercial operators, independent dive clubs, reference works, and active divers. Some are known to be accurate, while others may not be. Some GPS marks may even have come from maps using the AGD66 datum, and thus may need be converted to the WGS84 datum. To distinguish between the possible accuracy of the dive site marks, we've tried to give each mark a source of GPS, Google Earth, or unknown.