In Reply to: Re: slight rust in steel tank - slight tumble needed posted by Ken Kurtis on August 13, 2008 at 09:32:45:

Thanks for your great response. I was hoping you would respond to the question.

I think the slight rouging in a steel tank is stable and will not harm ones lungs. There is almost no chance you could fill a tank with perfectly dry air, and with 163 atmospheres, any water, along with the high levels of O2 at such pressures, will instantly rouge a tank…therein lies the quandary of steel tanks…

I will go with the tumble because it’s a done deal, but I do think a slight coat of rust is inevitable in a steel tank after its first fill, no matter who fills it…I just don’t want to tumble each steel tank I own (6 of them) each year if its not needed.