What setup for good rig buoyancy with Aquatica D7000?

I've recently changed from DS125's to Z240's and need to adjust my rig buoyancy. It was ok previously but never really even close to neutral.

My setups: AD7000, 2 x 3 inch arms with 1 stix float each, 2 x 5 inch arms with 3 stix floats each. Macro port (manual focus) with a stix float belt, 8 inch dome, zen minidome. sola focus light.

In particular with the 105mm macro, the rig is still slightly negative but the port is light and wants to twist upwards. Similar with the 8 inch dome (no float belt). Not too bad with the 60mm macro or mini dome.

I've seen a picture of a neutral nauticam d7000 rig and it was using inon mega float arms. Anyone using those with an AD7000?

I would really like to hear what setup you are using if you feel you have achieved good buoyancy, whatever floats you use.

Thanks

On my Aquatica D7000/Z240 kit, this is what gets me to just very slightly negative:

- With the 8" Dome port, Tokina 10-17 --- 3 jumbo stix floats on each arm

- With the Macro flat port and 105mm -- 3 jumbo stix floats on each arm and I add 1 large stix float to each arm.

I can get away with just the 3 jumbos on each side with the macro setup, but sometimes my arm gets tired. If I forget and leave the 1 addtl large float on with the dome it's kindof "floaty" - slightly positive.

Set up like above, I can toss my rig up into the water column and it will gently float down.

Thanks John, sounds good. I guess I must have regular size stix floats at the moment.

Just to be clear - you don't need a float belt around the macro port with this setup? If so it seems like less than I have now as the port float belt has 7 or 8 floats on it. (I have the old 105mm and the manual focus port if that makes a difference?).

I have the Nauticam D7000 housing with macro port for the 105 VR micro, so it's gotta be similar to your setup.

I use a ring float on the macro port (remove the stupid velcro strap, replace with a doubled-over length of bungee), and two Stix floats on each arm (8 total). It's nearly perfectly neutral in salt water with two z-240, Subsea +10 on Saga flip mount, and a Sola Photo 800.

Thanks John, sounds good. I guess I must have regular size stix floats at the moment.

 

Just to be clear - you don't need a float belt around the macro port with this setup? If so it seems like less than I have now as the port float belt has 7 or 8 floats on it. (I have the old 105mm and the manual focus port if that makes a difference?).

Yes, I do not use the float belt with macro setup. 6 jumbos and two regular stix floats balance the rig nicely. I'm sure the float belt works well too, I've just never tried it.

Like you, I went from Ike DS-160's to Z-240's. It's surprising how much more negative my rig is now. I used to get away with 2 Jumbo stix on each side with the 8" dome. I do like the Z-240's better; learning curve was a bit higher, but they are much more flexible in use in my opinion.

Thanks, that's good to know. Down in this part of the world I can't just rock into the local UW photo store and pick some of these up - it will be an international shipment with the freight likely costing as much as the floats.

The float belt works well but I find it creates a twisting force with so much buoyancy low down (maybe the port is heavier than the nauticam equivalent?). It seems like a good idea to get the floatation up higher. I'll up the buoyancy on my arms but I may try out adding just a few floats on the port when I have the 105 setup on.

Given there isn't really that many setups that we use, a table of housings with balanced buoyancy options would be a useful reference for putting together a new setup (without giving preference to any one brand).

Same experience with the z240's although my Ikelites were good too. The size difference is useful - I can fit both 240's in the spot in my pelican case where I had just one Ikelite. I also tend to shoot in greenish water.

Still interested to hear from anyone who has used a different setup eg mega float arms?