How to Perform a Buoyancy Check

Start in water too deep to stand in and release all the air from your BC. Inhale a normal breath, and the water should be at eye level. When you exhale, you should sink so that the water is just over your head and then rise to eye level as you inhale normally again.

Adjust your weights in small increments (e.g., 1kg at a time). Consider adding a little extra weight to offset the potentially positive buoyancy of a partially emptied aluminum cylinder at the end of the dive.

If you are properly weighted, you should be able to hover effortlessly at five metres at the end of your dive with 35 bar in your aluminum tank and no air in your BC.