Make Your Own Hookah Surface Supply - Scuba Tech Tips: S08E03 

I love his "Aha, so whaddya think about that" look...

Great video! My Grandfather and I were talking the other day and he told me how he made his own hookah using a bike pump and old regulator (not the safest.) He grew up is Mesa (AZ) and used it in the canals. One day somebody approached him and asked if he wanted to trade for it. He said yes and ended up with a TV.

I love the resourcefulness and can-do approach! Your experience shows

This gentleman is a total BOSS . Thanks for posting all these great informative videos. 💗💗💗

Ull be my role modal of my scuba diving. thanks being always there to reply n help

Sir your wisdom is much appreciated! I have sent the last few months learning to scrape hulls of boats uptown 50' in a marina in San Diego and have been searching for a way to make my own breathing device thank you.

I’m very greatful for your videos! Thank you for sharing your experiences. I wish you the best life has to offer😄👍

i'm planning a trip a couple states over to hang out with my friend and go explore some local lakes, thanks for the video, it was a big help!

Thanks for a really great video. I mine gold underwater and hookah air is the best.

Thank you for posting this video. Your easy-to-follow information removes the 'Hair on Fire Histrionics' sprouted by some online armchair! experts! Well done Mate. Cheers from Michael. Australia.

Love this works great to 25ft for my personal use and what I use it for thanks for sharing

Thanks Alec, going to try it out. I’m going to put PTFE pipe thread tape on looks like you used it too. Then I check for leaks in a bucket. Thanks for a great tutorial. You should be on TV ;)

So well and sympathetically done.

I love your channel @alec peirce scuba ! I decided to lighten my poor back after 15 years with twin cylinders and Navy Seal's style rides from the car trunk to the water .. Definitely, at the age of 37, I'm already destroyed to keep on my back all that weight .I tried three years ago a single 15liters tank on a floating cart with wheels and the setup was fine using a 19ft tailored dive hose.. Unluckily the sand isn't weight friendly and to transport the equipment by hands was a big effort, including the dpv. Now I'll use again that hose, excluding the first stage and tuning the IP on the second stage. A small 12V oilless diaphragm with a suction filter and a personal filter type for the outlet will do a good job to stay in the shallows if modified to work when needed only...I'm a lone diver too and honestly the most scary thing I've seen until now is the panicking crowd's faces when in group...

This is great for spear fishing or finding booty under docks. Sunglasses. Phones wallets watches etc. Thanks so much. You just saved people so much money. Now I can start using my open water diver card. For rivers and lakes.

Thanks for a great video. Going to cobble me one of these together and start metal detecting under water.

Another great video sir thanks for sharing thought some of you guys might be interested in a slightly cheaper way but quality way to do your surface breather set up, I use a US divers full face mask with a rear entry for the air so it comes out the back of your head it's a square fitting into that I made my own fitting put a good 3/4 inch external diameter half inch internal diameter hose on to it it saves me having a regulator because I breathe directly out of the mask. The one real advantage I find this I found while testing my setup so underwater I'm at about 20 ft I have a leak it's mine are at first but then slightly gets worse then the valve let go that I had made cuz it wasn't properly done the first time I tried it but because I had the mask on and it's properly sealed I put my hand over the back of the mask to block the air entrance and I had air left in the mass that I could breathe on my way back up, had I been using a regulator it would have been slightly more dangerous because I wouldn't have had that extra air. I improved my valve design it's not actually a valve it's just a fitting and I've had no problem since then. I did a video on my RU-vid channel on how to construct this and shows all materials needed, Keith Robinson SCUBA 101 is the name of the video series.

Thank You!!!! Such a good video.

Great video, thank you!

Clear and useful video. :)

I had a 2 Hose Hookah, the Inner tube float type with a Lawnmower engine on it. later it was used on Motorcycle Guy, Jessie James Monster Garage, on his converted Pontoon Boat that they called His "Shark Boat Build", my Hookah,Toured Auto Shows with a bunch of his builds for a few years.....Never got paid for my Hookah ! Enjoying your videos !

Hookah is the main type of diving that I plan on doing. No deeper than 10 feet of freshwater. Mainly about 8 feet. Thanks for the tips.

It´s a good and simple description of a hookah surface supplied system, and is as described ok for shallow diving. - I see a few questions about diving deeper, using a compressor for air supply, type of hose to use. Some advice regarding this... If using a compressor, use a oil free compressor and a filtration system to get air of breathing quality, and if the compressor is driven by a gas/diesel engine- make sure the air intake for the compressor can´t get the exhaust fumes from the engine... Exhaust gas in breathing air is lethal... An oil-lubricated compressor can be used-but only with the right filtration system. (Normally a charcoal filter is in the system). A compressor should have a volume tank, with a drain valve- that’s helping getting the moisture out of the air. From a tank supply a regulator used for oxygen normally have the adjustment of 2:nd stage pressure (o2 welding regulator) just change the fitting from O2 to air on the regulator... Then you have the possibility to change pressure according to diving depth. -In commercial surface supply diving, the supply hose is normally a 3/8" hose and supply pressure from 0-18 meter is normally 8,5 bar, at 30 meter supply pressure is 11 bar and at 50 meter 16,4 bar. And the flow volume of air of 62,5 RVM as a minimum =125 litre at 10meter 187,5 at 20meter 250liter at 30 meter and so on... a hose of 1/4" can be used to about 18 meters, but flow restriction gets to big for deeper diving. In commercial diving there is always a non-return valve on the mask/helmet from the surface supply hose to prevent squeeze if a hose brakes. If the supply pressure is to low or flow in the air supply is to low the diver can "outbreath" the gas supply - it feels like running out of gas on a scuba tank... you don’t get the air you need- happens if you dive over the systems limits... Hose used in commercial diving has to be resistant to kinks and pressure tested to verify quality, and safe= not giving of fumes or in any other way contaminates the air.(Barfell divers hose for example is a good one). And think about that it is still the same physical rules for hookah diving as for scuba diving, don’t hold your breath going up, don’t dive to deep to long and so on… And if you don’t know how to dive safe, get trained so you don’t hurt your self!

Love your channel...and on this topic, you've wandered off into something I've done for years...diving with surface supply. I 'gold dredge' (in both salt and fresh water)...with depths from 3-ft to 20-ft (often in a dry-suit, due to northern water temps). My dredge runs a 30-hp Yanmar diesel, powering not only an 8-inch suction dredge pump, but it also powers a single stage air compressor (like you might find in a workshop). The pump head is mounted to the dredge frame, and belt-driven off the Yanmar v-belt. The compressor takes in it's air from an elevated intake (with first-stage filter), compresses the air to 120-psi and stores it in a mounted aluminum tank on the dredge. On the output side, the air passes throughdryer, then a 50-micron filter, then second, through a 5-micron filter. That's smaller than a human blood platelet. After the second filter, it goes to a 3-port QD 'hookah' connection (for up to 3-divers). I run a 50-ft hose to my 2nd stage (don't need a 1st stage, as I am already at intermediate pressures). This setup is as safe, or safer, than SCUBA tanks, since I can hear the engine running, I know the compressor is working, and at shallow depth, I can rise without problems if there is an issue (such as a hose rupture). I can operate for 160-minutes at 20-ft easily, for the cost of 2-gallons of diesel (that powers both the dredge and the compressor). Overall...I'm guessing this set-up has saved me a couple of thousand dollars over the years, compared to paying tank fill fees at my dive shop.

Alec, Your the boss. Thanks for the explanation. Question how do you hook the 1st stage to a standard oil less compressor w. filters of course. With your hook up you have the 1/4 NPT hose from the regulator to the outlet of the regulator -- how do you hook the inlet to a standard compressor? Just picking one up tomorrow as I gotta get into my 57 degree pool for a main drain repair. Ps been diving for 40 + Thanks

Hey great informative video thank you a lot

Hey Alec....thanks so much for this video. I've been free diving up here in the NW part of Oregon. Besides the visibility issues with the water , I've found later in life , I can't hold my breath as long. I usually stay between 10' - 20' but by the time I get there , I have to head back up. Sooo.......My plan is ( and I already planned on getting one ) Is a Sea Doo Fish pro or Explorer pro and mount one of these Hokkah systems on the back with a 100' hose. I dunno......but I think it'll bring my spear fishing and crabbing to the next level!

Thank you for sharing.

Love it.

Great information, I have been cleaning hulls lately gearing fully up to do so with a dry suit and all as I am in the PNW and its a PITA... I decided to look into hookah systems but really dont want to spend that much extra money as I have tons of $$$ invested in my scuba gear over the years and I have enough spare gear laying around I can make one of these tank set ups at basically no cost aside from the hookah hose and a couple fittings and that should do the job great, plus its super portable, even more so then a traditional hookah rig, winner winner chicken dinner!

I often make breathing air lines for industrial workers and in theory they sell "breathing air hose" that is guaranteed to not put possibly harmful fumes in the air, another good option is to use hose intended for high pressure potable water, its usually transparent with a white nylon mesh inside it, ALSO also, if some one wanted to do this they could probably just buy a short hose for their regulator, cut the short hose in half, and use the barbed hose fittings (the ones you used for splices) to connect more hose in between the 2 halves of the original regulator hose, that way they don't have to go find the exact fittings

Great video, I have been diving for years on surface air. I did buy breathing air hose not sure it matters. I bought an 12volt oil less compressor and a regulator. went to the welding shop and cut the scuba fitting off the short hose coming off the regulator and spliced in a pressure washer quick disconnect. with a couple of 12v deep cycle batteries I can stay down all day. My diving is all under 10' and I have hundreds of hours down using this set up. Plenty safe.

bloody brilliant thank you

Most excellent, thank you! Was looking for exactly this sort of video and boom, you made it, and it was good and to the point. I've been thinking about such a system for a long time wondering why there isn't such a thing, but there was! My only question is whether those cheap compressor hoses are safe to breath through. Don't want to breathe in cancer causing fumes.

Your a good tutor Alec, I enjoy learning that bit extra venturing into tech diving....... ..am I first to comment.....LOL......

So once I have the 2nd stage, hose and the two adapter pieces.... is that all I need to connect to my tank ?

Hey Alec, loved your video. Just a question about IP. If you go down to 120’, your static water pressure is about 60#, and your IP from the surface first stage is about 140#, so your second stage down below, only gets about 80#. Do you need to adjust your second stage to 80# IP or increase your IP ( I doubt you can go that much higher) to 200#? Thanks Miguel

Alec, I REALLY enjoy your videos on Hookah. Here's my question. I have designed my own battery operated hookah system. Compressor is capable of 200 psi, oil free compressor, with only 60decibles. Air is on at 75 psi and off at 100 psi. What would your recommendation be for a GOOD second stage regulator? The regulators i have seem to draw very heavy when pressure drops below 75 psi. I think a regulator in the 50-100 psi would be ideal. Thank you in advance for your help!!

Do not use just any tool-hose, there is a good chance it will off-gas toluene especially if in the sun. Breathing air hose, medical O2, or better still Diver's Hose ( non-kinking ) is essential.

I know you stated these are typically used in shallow water, so maybe this is generally negligible, but if your first stage adds a constant pressure to the ambient pressure in it's diaphragm as the intermediate pressure and the first stage is at the surface in 1 atm of pressure, will it still supply the correct air pressure to support normal breathing underwater?

Dear Alec, is it possible to know a safe and good way to create an array on 4 scuba tanks for an air supply ? The video is very clear about what you need if you use only one tank but, if i need to connect more tanks in series how can i do that ? There is some kind high pressure adapter that accept multiple air intake ? Is it possible? I really see only pair of tanks linked toghether but i really do not know how to create an array of tanks. Hope to read you soon ! Great videos always ! Thanks a lot !

Hi Alec...another great video. I'm currently putting one of these together but as you know our UK waters are pretty cold most of the year so I'm thinking of splitting the air line to accommodate a dry suit inflation hose as well as the regulator. I think you can buy air hose splitters but do you have any thoughts or tips about this. By the way I'm simply floating my 15L tank around on a rubber ring rather than messing about with compressors. Cheers...Tim

great video to the point... no seller paid affiliate link... just a referral to a good place to find things you need and the info if you choose to find it yourdelf. thanks instructor

In the 70s I used two small O2 tanks and refilled from a large O2 Tank and I modified propane reg for my low pressure on demand. When using a compressor make sure it's a oil free compressor. I nearly died from breathing oil I would have died if I had falling asleep too that night I fought for every breath the next day I was so tired from fighting to live

Hi Alec. Quick question. If 1st stage is on the surface and you go 100ft deep (as you mentioned in video) - does it affect you breathing, since 1st stage does not sense the water pressure. 🤔🤔 and if it does - how ?

Excellent and instructive video as usual, Alec. One question. I see you're not including a non-return valve in this setup. Is it because that is not needed in a scuba-style mouth-held regulator which doesn't seal the diver's head/face (as opposed to full face masks or diving helmets), and/or because the second stage demand valve works as its own check valve? In the latter case, would either downstream and upstream designs work to that purpose? Thank you and I'm looking forward to your next video.

Hi Alec, Do you have a source for synthetic tubing? I am a EANx fan (fat and over 40 gas) Thanks!

Hi Alex, I really like you videos but I need to comment on this one. My experience as a mechanic using Harbor Freight air hoses is that #1 they smell bad, #2 I have had them deteriorate internally and allow particles of material to flow down stream into pneumatic tools. An air filter designed for garage type compressors should take out the particles but they would not filter out the taste or smell. As a Scuba instructor, I personally would only use a dedicated scuba hose, and a scuba tank for the air source.

Alec, When it comes to breathable air through any air line, I would have thought the hose would have to be made of a FOOD GRADE material not just any old hose from the corner harware store.

What kind of compressor would you recommend. Or what kind would you use? Would you want an oilless compressor. Or is any “construction” compressor okay is it surpasses 100 psi ?

Hi, thanks for the very interesting videos what do you use the microscope for? cheers!

Do I have to use a air compressor or can I just use some sort of air opening system, or is there not enough of pressure psi to get the air flowing through the hose ?

Alec, nice video. Question, It seems I’ve seen somewhere that we’re supposed to use special fittings as well made for breathing through? Seems there could be contaminates in some metals or they can cause chemical reactions or? Can’t remember.

I wanted to do a hookah on an 80cu. But you need someone to let you know when you are down to 500psi. That is with putting one of those mini pressure gauges on the first stage HP port. 100 feed on a wreck with a Hookah? I am assuming you did a deco? If so I would luv to see that profile.

On double hose regulators that have dedicated hookah ports, such as the DA Aquamaster, how do you keep the regulator on your back? It is rather heavy to leave floating around and possibly banging the back of your head.

Great video, very helpful thank you. I don't live near a dive shop anywhere and cant find the 1/4 npt male x 3/8 female adapter anywhere? Do you have any other suggestions to find that adapter for my regulator?

Hello, teacher. I'm also working as a diver in Korea It's an honor to meet you through RU-vid

Alec; I would like to put together a Hookah but using a electric compressor with battery in a tube float. Could you tell me how big of compressor I would need with an adequate air supply for 50 ft max depth with one person?

Nice video again Alec. One question? How can you control your boyency without a BCD? I presume to use just enough weight and use your lungs and vins...

So you are saying that the 50'x3/8" orange PVC Diablo air hose from Harbor freight and a oilless compressor with a filter and a second stage would be sufficient for building a hooka system to dive for catfish noodleing?

Can you split 1 tank and attach 2 regulators to have 2 divers in the water using 1 tank, or is this not recommended/safe? The dive depth would be less than 15’, probably closer to 10’ for short periods - 30 minutes max. This is for lobstering in the keys when we find a good hole.

In Sumatra Indonesia….long time ago before I knew anything bout scuba dive, my friend took me to dive with surface compressor supply and a long hose similar like your video. I remember jumped to maybe about 10 - 12 meters, got feeling bout underwater experienced for the first time. Went up, took a rest and jumped again. No safety stop of course. All the crazy things. I amazed of that experienced and found out about a real scuba dive later on… one question Alex, this compressor doesn’t have water catcher, does it? And also if we dive to, lets say, 20-40 meters, we supposed to do the safety stop procedure, right? Thank you for this good video..

trying to keep my rig under a budget and weight. if im down 20-25 feet, would a 1/4" hose be large enough to supply air? or do i need a 1/2"? or 3/8" harbor frieght has lots of 1/4 and 3/8

Can you explain the connection from the regulator hose to the air hose and to 1st stage, is that a quick connect from hardware store or is it a solid connection?

Great Video! Does anyone have any recommendations or links to a good suitable airline hose?

Hi sir tanku for ur helpful tips question in my mind ,y not just having the end off the hose out side the water and have the natural air from the out side air ?y do we need tank or compressor for air supply ?

With a 200ft hose and being 100ft under water is there problems breathing with the pressure differential?

What is the best type of air hose for the rubber or pvc or blend? Just curious of your thoughts?

Awesome video what type of Air Supply are you using ?

Hi Alec, I made what I call a Dive Sled back in 1995. I I have 3 individual 80's on the sled and 100' air hose and a 90" dive sled tow line and I have pretty good mobility. I don't use a pressure gauge and just go on my experience on air consumption. I switch tanks after consumption and go to many diff sites and after the 3rd tank a fiend picks me up in the boat unless I am diving right offshore. I keep getting grief from people about the dangers as well as impossibility of the 1st stage being able to deliver me air to depth from the surface and on and one LOL but I have thousands of dives so a bit of a cowboy, but still find it relatively safe if you just pay attention to your sir consumption. Anyway, just wanted to share cant post a photo here so will try and find email for you. Thanks for your video

Hi. Got one of those cheap Chinese stage 2 regulators.(AliExpress.com) It’s free flowing. Is that normal for that model or is it broken?

How about the hoses they sale for breathing air. But are really expensive. What did you recommend me to buy.

What's making that hissing ar sound in the video? It sounds like an air leak somewhere.

Nice video again. Thanks! One thing that confuses me: how about the ambient pressure? As far as I understand, the first stage senses the ambient pressure and adjusts the intermediate pressure accordingly. So, the 1st stage provides a surface + 10 bar pressure, but it is different than bottom + 10 bar pressure. If this is the case, I understand that the difference could be ineffective if the diver is not too deep. What would you do with a hookah if the diver is so deep that the intermediate pressure difference is effective? Maybe adjust the first stage's intermediate pressure?

do the rules of ”basic” padi chart still be used or does the body react diffrent when u dive with tank vs hooka?

is regular pneumatic tool air hose safe?

Are you sure standard Home Depot hoses' won't deteriorate in salt water? I'd be concerned they're not food-grade and may give off dangerous particles. Lastly, won't they collapse/compress under the water pressure? Any thoughts?

Would you or could you please recommend a 12 volt compressor for one or even better two people to use please :)

Like using these to clean big pools with weighted shoes and a gas mask adapter like a full face mask it's even better . Make a whip waist belt. To take hose pull weight off regulator. The coily kinda hose .. doesn't have a bad rubber taste like yours will

Alec, how many SCFM does the compressor need to produce per diver?

What is the adaptor you have attached to your air compressor that the first stage goes on?

Mr. Peirce , can you recommend a 12 volt air compressor that is best for a hookah system for two people to the depth of 40 foot or less, and can a regular second stage regulator be used for this purpose.. thank you Dan

Hi Alec, greetings from Norway.. Been of course watching all your videos.. I always thought hoses for scuba had to be approved for breathing gasses in the same sense compressors need to be approved once a year.. Is it fair to say you basically can use any type of hoses, such as i.e pnaumatic low pressure hoses as long as you have the right converters, does size matter?

At 13 to 16 feet should I where ears plugs? I will be searching for a lost rc boat in murky turtle pond..any advice is appreciated.

Question, I am an recreational divers and where I live the closest dive shop has closed there doors for good, due to this has put me as a diver in a pocket full of hurt, been doing some research and I don't dive over 100 feet deep, and got this idea to try and build my own tank fill station, that being said the air we are breathing in from what I understand is just compressed filtered air, but are the compressors oil less or does it matter as long as it's filtered properly? Make it short thinking of buying an oil less compressor and proper filters so that I can fill my own tanks, please message me and she'd some light on this question I have. Nearest scuba fill shop now is 150 miles away, puts a good damper on diving now. Thanks. Chris.

Air hoses are not all the same. The materials used to make them vary. Does it matter?

Hi Alec, I tried this, but my reg wants to free flow how do I fix this?

The system I got did not come with a stage one reg said I did not need is this wright I got a really bad sore throat after use it 4 dive can you tell what I am doing wrong

hi Alec. interesting "backyard" hookah scuba hookup. My only concern is that as the hookah systems seem to promote "no license necessary" it could put people in a dangerous position. A good thing about the scuba courses is that half of it deals with emergency situations and how to deal with them. I also don't like the idea of no safe second or pressure gauge. anyone who wants to try this should be careful about using just any old compressor because they can produce carbon monoxide with the breakdown of the oil (filters won't help with this ) Most compressors have a warning not for breathing. If you are using tanks on the surface then you will have to be certified to get them filled (not at the gas station!). one other thing NPT is actually National Pipe Taper ,tapered threads for use with pipe sealant or tape as opposed to NPS National Pipe Straight these usually have an "O" ring to seal like the scuba 1/8" NPS fitting.Regarding another comment about off gasses from the non food grade hoses this is generally only a concern for liquids like potable (drinking) water or liquid foods in hoses.thanks Owen m

I guess I dont see the advantage of this but then I am a diver. Most hooka rigs allow for extended dives. Plus you only know when you run out of air by that no air breath. But the connectors is good to know sonthanks.

I have an air compressor that gets up to 150 psi. Is that too high for a second stage regulator.

You state using 1/2" hose but I notice a lot of hookah hoses are only1/4". Which would be better?

I’m here for the comments that are about to flood this video.

Is this Jim for the Trailer Park Boys?

Will work to ~100m depth :D because then the water pressure is higher than the pressure in the hose and the first stage won´t compensate at it is at surface pressure. Just saying (not really practical example 100m on a Hookah)

If you close your eyes he sounds like Norm McDonald. Its not a bad thing.

Your showing the 1st stage regulator hooking into a scuba tank. I want to hook up to an air compressor.

What you do for dry mouth when diving

Will 1/4" air line work?

Could one just use a hose if it was safe on the surface? 😊