OX500, OX500Plus or OX1000: which mini scuba tank is right for you?

An OXSEA mini scuba tank is a reserve of compressed air at 200 bar that you refill yourself, with no dive club or filling station involved. The range has three models: the OX500, the OX500Plus and the OX1000. They share the same aluminium body and every one is checked before it ships from Taverny, near Paris.

What sets them apart is capacity (0.5 L or 1 L) and the way you wear them. That is what your choice comes down to.

Three tanks, one principle

Those air times are ceilings, reached near the surface with calm breathing. They depend on how you breathe, how deep you are and how hard you work. Our guide to real air time explains why.

OX500: the easiest way in

The OX500 holds 0.5 L of air and sits directly in your mouth, on a silicone mouthpiece. Its built-in gauge shows how much air is left. Enough to check a propeller or free a fouled anchor. In the pool, it is also the right format for getting used to breathing underwater before heading out to sea.

Refilling with the manual pump takes about 20 minutes. Some elbow grease, nothing unreasonable for half a litre.

It is the one for you if you want a simple top-up of air on board, or a first tank for the family.

OX500Plus: hands free on your back

Same 0.5 L capacity, same air time. What changes: the regulator is external and the tank rides on your back in a harness, or in your mouth if you prefer. Your mouth carries no weight and both hands stay free. The external gauge reads at a glance, without handling the tank.

For work under the hull, that back position changes everything. Clamping a tank between your teeth for eight minutes while heaving on a shackle, you feel it. The price gap with the OX500 earns its keep as soon as you leave the pool.

It is the model we recommend to most boat owners. It is also the first model that takes the OXAIR mask.

OX1000: for staying down longer

The OX1000 doubles the capacity to 1 L, for about 15 minutes of air. It is the tank for longer jobs: maintenance under the hull, a careful inspection at anchor. Worn on the back with an external regulator, like the Plus.

Mind the refill method: the manual pump is not compatible with this volume. The 12 V / 220 V mini compressor fills it in about 20 minutes, the DIN or yoke transfer station in about a minute from a standard scuba tank.

Stock and price for each model are shown on its product page. If the one you need is out of stock, the "Notify me" button sends us your request.

Refilling in practice

There are three methods. Pick the one that matches the equipment you have on board.

• Manual pump: about 20 minutes for a 0.5 L tank, no electricity. Not compatible with the OX1000.
• 12 V / 220 V mini compressor: about 12 minutes for 0.5 L, about 20 minutes for the OX1000.
• DIN or yoke transfer station: about 1 minute from a standard scuba tank.

If you fly, the tank must be completely empty, head open or removed, and declared at check-in. For assembly, flow adjustment and filter care, the OXSEA School videos walk you through each step.

Who should get what

For the pool and first attempts, the OX500 is plenty. A boat owner who regularly goes under the hull will want the OX500Plus. Longer jobs call for the OX1000. And if you mostly explore from the surface, the OXAIR mask pairs well with an OX500Plus or an OX1000: you breathe through the snorkel, and the tank's air takes over when you go down. It does not fit the OX500.

When you buy, the packs bundle the tank with its refill system: OX500 + Manual pump pack, OX500Plus + Manual pump pack, OX1000 + Mini compressor pack. Returns within 30 days, 24-month warranty, delivery across Europe and North America (see shipping and returns).

Unsure about your use? The team answers by email through the contact page. The full comparison goes through every criterion.