Tank – What is it in Vaping?

Definition

A tank is the transparent or semi-transparent reservoir that holds e-liquid on a vape device. Sitting above the battery and below the DripTip“>drip tip, it feeds juice to the coil through small wicking ports. In Australia, tanks range from 2 ml TPD-compliant units for mouth-to-lung (MTL) starter kits to 5–8 ml bubble glass options for direct-lung (DL) cloud chasers. By storing enough liquid for hours of vaping, the tank eliminates the need to drip constantly and lets vapers monitor consumption at a glance.

Technical Details

Internally, a tank is a sealed chamber with a central chimney that channels vapour upward. E-liquid surrounds the chimney and is drawn into the coil by capillary action through Cotton“>organic cotton or mesh wicks. Most tanks use 510 threading for universal mod compatibility and incorporate adjustable airflow rings at the base or top. Standard capacities are 2 ml (TPD compliant), 3.5 ml, 5 ml and 8 ml; diameters range from 22 mm to 28 mm to match mod widths. Variants include top-fill slide-cap or threaded designs, bottom-fill legacy models, and rebuildable tank atomisers (RTAs) that accept user-built coils. Sub-ohm tanks often employ mesh strips for faster ramp-up and cooler temperature control operation when paired with stainless-steel or titanium wire.

Usage & Tips

Prime new coils by dripping e-liquid onto exposed cotton until saturated, then fill the tank and wait five minutes to avoid dry hits. Close airflow when refilling top-fill tanks to prevent vacuum loss and leaking. If you experience gurgling, disassemble and flick out excess juice, then check coil o-rings for damage. Replace glass promptly after cracks—cheap spares are TPD compliant and readily available from Australian vendors. For vapers chasing stronger throat hit, choose higher-nicotine or 50/50 PG/VG juices and reduce airflow; cloud seekers can open airflow fully and use 70/30 VG/PG liquids. Always transport the device upright and keep tanks out of extreme heat to prevent leakage or glass failure.

History & Context

Early cig-a-likes used tiny polyfill cartridges until 2010, when Joyetech’s eGo-C introduced the first clearomiser tank. The 2014 AspireNautilus popularised adjustable airflow and BVC coils, while 2015’s Kanger Subtank ushered in sub-ohm vaping. European TPD regulations (adopted in Australia as a de-facto standard) capped capacity at 2 ml in 2017, spurring innovation in compact top-fill designs and bubble glass extensions.