Nitrox?
Michael Poggione Oct 14, 2025
Enriched Air Nitrox: Why This Should Be Your Next Specialty
The SDI Computer Nitrox course is the one of the most popular certification courses for divers. SDI Open Water Divers (or enrolled concurrently) can take this course. You’ll learn all about the benefits of breathing oxygen-enriched air, as well as how to do so safely. Read on to learn about diving with enriched air Nitrox, and the six top reasons why this should be your next specialty.
What is Enriched Air Nitrox?
In recreational diving terms, enriched air nitrox (also known as EANx or simply Nitrox) is breathing gas that contains a higher percentage of oxygen than regular air. Advantages of nitrox diving include staying underwater longer and shorter surface intervals. The ability to dive with Nitrox provides you more time underwater!
Three Must-Know Terms
As an Open Water Scuba Diver, you’re trained to breathe air from a scuba cylinder. However, different rules apply for Nitrox. This is due to the way the higher percentage of oxygen impacts our bodies at depth. Because of this, there are extra considerations and terms associated with Nitrox diving, and that’s why it’s essential to get proper training before diving with Nitrox. Here are a few examples of the additional vocabulary you’ll pick up during the course:
Mix: The percentage of oxygen. Regular air is 21%, and the most common enriched air nitrox mixes ais 32%.
Maximum Operating Depth (MOD): The maximum depth at which to use any given mix to avoid oxygen toxicity, and why Nitrox divers should choose the optimum mix for the depth they plan to dive.
Analyzing: Enriched air divers need to know what mix they have in their cylinder in order to determine their MOD. They’ll use an oxygen analyzer to check the percentage of oxygen in the cylinder before diving.
Reasons the SDI Computer Nitrox Specialty Should Be Your Next Course
1. Breathe Less Nitrogen When Using Nitrox
The primary benefit of using Nitrox while diving is that you will be exposed to less nitrogen when you go diving. Put simply, the higher percentage of oxygen in the cylinder means you will be breathing less nitrogen.
You can use this benefit to your advantage in a couple of ways. One option is to extend your no-stop time during your dives, so you get to stay at depth longer, especially when completing repetitive dives. Alternatively, you might prefer to continue to dive within the no-stop limits for air but use the reduced intake of nitrogen to increase your personal safety margin while diving.
2. Longer Bottom Times
For example, when diving with air to 60ft using your SCUBAPRO computer, you would have a maximum no-stop limit of 47 minutes on a single dive. For the same depth, but using a 32% mix Nitrox (EANx32), you would have a no-stop limit of 76 minutes. This means you would potentially have up to an additional 29 minutes of dive time on this profile compared with air. However, you should never forget to check your gauges. You will still be breathing through the gas in your cylinder at the same rate, so your total bottom time may still be limited by your gas consumption rather than your NDL (No Decompression Limit).
3. Shorter Surface Intervals
Another benefit of diving with nitrox is that because you have onboarded less nitrogen during your dive, you don’t need to spend so long off-gassing between dives. Hello to shorter surface intervals – less time on the boat and more time underwater!
4. Learn About Your Dive Computer
During the SDI Nitrox course, you will learn about how to use a dive computer to plan and monitor your nitrogen and oxygen exposure during your dive. All divers these days should use a dive computer for all their dives and fortunately, all modern dive computers are nitrox compatible. If you are thinking about purchasing your first dive computer, you might wish to speak with your dive center about the possibility of completing the SDI Nitrox course at the same time will enhance your understanding of how your computer works.
5. Work Towards Further Qualifications
You can easily take the SDI Nitrox Diver course alongside other SDI certifications or as a standalone course. It can also be credited towards the certification requirements for the SDI Advanced Diver or SDI Master Diver ratings. If you have ambitions to become a SDI Divemaster one day, completing the SDI Nitrox course will help develop your understanding of decompression theory and physiology.
6. Enhance Your Dive Vacation
The divers who enjoy the biggest benefits of diving with nitrox are those who like to take dive trips. If you are taking a vacation locally or planning to book a dive resort or liveaboard, you may expect to complete a lot of repetitive dives over several days. If you are using nitrox to extend your bottom time, this could equate to hours of additional dive time over the trip. Imagine how many more cool things you might see!
The SDI Computer Nitrox Specialty Course
The SDI Nitrox course teaches everything you need to know about diving with enriched air nitrox. First, you’ll learn how to select the right mix for your dive. You’ll also learn how to use an oxygen analyzer and how to set your dive computer. You will complete home study study using eLearning followed by an in-person workshop here at Motor City Scuba, then there is an optional pool or open water dive you can participate in.
If you’re ready to experience the benefits of diving with nitrox, then sign up for the SDI Nitrox course today by clicking the button below.
