What are vape tanks?
A tank is the part of your vape that holds e-liquid, houses the coil, and screws onto a mod. You fill it up, fit a coil, and the mod powers it to make vapour. It's the heart of any sub-ohm or mouth-to-lung setup that isn't a simple pod kit.
Tanks connect through a standard 510 thread, which fits the large majority of mods, and they come in different sizes and styles built around how you like to vape. Some are made for big clouds and warm flavour; others for a tighter, cooler draw.
The right tank is the one that fits your mod, matches your style, and uses coils you can easily restock. At Pirate Vapes, we make each tank's fitting and coil compatibility clear, so you can match all three without guesswork.
Popular Tanks
Set this strip to your genuine featured tanks.
• SMOK TFV18 Tank
• Aspire Nautilus 3 Tank
• Vaporesso iTank
• Uwell Valyrian III Tank
• Freemax Fireluke 3 Tank
Types of Vape Tanks
Tanks split by the style of vaping they're built for, plus a rebuildable option for hobbyists.
Sub-ohm tanks
Run low-resistance coils and open airflow for big, warm clouds and bold flavour. Made for direct-to-lung vaping with high-VG e-liquid and a capable mod. They use more e-liquid and battery than an MTL tank, which is the trade-off for the vapour.
MTL tanks
Use tighter airflow and higher-resistance coils for a cooler, cigarette-style draw. Suited to nic salts and 50/50 liquid at lower power, and a good fit if you're coming from a pod kit.
RTAs (rebuildable tank atomisers)
For experienced users who build their own coils, fed from a reservoir like a normal tank. More control and lower running costs, but more upkeep. You'll want to understand coil building and Ohm's law first, so it isn't a first tank.
Sub-Ohm vs MTL Tanks
The quick way to tell which suits you:
Sub-ohm tanks:
• Low-resistance coils and open airflow
• Big, warm clouds and bold flavour
• High-VG e-liquid at lower nicotine strengths
• Best for direct-to-lung vaping
MTL tanks:
• Higher-resistance coils and tight airflow
• Cooler, cigarette-style draw
• 50/50 or nic salt at higher strengths
• Best for mouth-to-lung vaping
If you're coming from a pod kit or a disposable and want a familiar tight draw, MTL is the natural fit. If you're chasing clouds and bigger flavour, go sub-ohm.
Tank Capacity and the 2ml Rule
UK rules cap tanks that hold nicotine e-liquid at 2ml, so most tanks sold here have a 2ml capacity. It's why you refill more often than you might expect, and it's the same limit that applies across pods and prefilled kits.
Some tanks offer a larger capacity for use with nicotine-free liquid, where the rules allow, but for everyday nicotine vaping, 2ml is the standard. Keeping a bottle of e-liquid to hand, or setting up Auto Refill, saves you running dry mid-day.
Airflow, and How It Changes Your Vape
Most tanks have an adjustable airflow ring at the base, and it's worth playing with.
Open the airflow up and you get a cooler, airier draw with bigger clouds, which suits sub-ohm vaping. Close it down and the draw gets tighter and warmer, closer to a cigarette, which suits MTL. Small changes make a real difference to flavour and vapour, so it's worth tuning it to taste rather than leaving it wherever it started. If a tank feels too airy or too tight, the airflow ring is the first thing to adjust.
Tanks, Coils and E-Liquid
A tank is only as good as the coil in it and the liquid you feed it.
Sub-ohm tanks want high-VG e-liquid, which is thick enough to keep up with the power. MTL tanks want thinner 50/50 or nic salts. Feed a tank the wrong liquid and you'll get poor flavour, leaks, or a dry, burnt hit.
Match coil, tank, and liquid, and you'll get clean flavour and fewer problems. Our Coils collection lists coils by the tank they fit, and our E-Liquids range covers both high-VG and 50/50.
Will This Tank Fit My Mod?
Almost certainly, if both use a 510 connection, which is the standard fitting on the large majority of mods and tanks. So in most cases, the answer is yes.
The one thing worth checking is the diameter, so the tank sits flush against your mod without overhang. A tank that's much narrower than the mod will look odd, though it'll still work. Each product page lists the size and fitting, and if you're pairing a new tank with a new mod, our Mods collection shows what works with what.
How to Fill and Set Up a Tank
A tank takes a minute to get going:
• Fit a fresh coil and prime it: add e-liquid and leave it to soak for a few minutes
• Open the fill port and tip the e-liquid down the side, keeping it out of the central airflow tube
• Close it up, set the airflow, and start on a lower wattage before turning it up
• Match the liquid to the tank: high-VG for sub-ohm, thinner 50/50 or nic salt for MTL
Prime the coil properly and that first vape will taste clean rather than harsh.
How to Choose the Right Tank
Check three things and you'll get it right:
• The connection: most tanks are 510 and fit most mods, but confirm the diameter suits your device
• The coil range: make sure replacement coils are easy to get and match how you vape, since coils are your ongoing cost
• The style: sub-ohm for clouds, MTL for a tighter draw
Get those three right and the tank will do its job for a long time. If you're building a setup from scratch, pick the tank and mod together so the fitting, power, and style all line up, and remember UK nicotine tanks are capped at 2ml.
How to Stop a Tank Leaking
Most leaks come down to a few easy fixes:
• Fill without flooding the central airflow tube
• Close the airflow when filling or carrying the tank
• Seat and prime a new coil properly before use
• Don't leave the tank in a hot car or pocket, which thins the liquid
• Check the seals and O-rings are in place when you rebuild it
Get those right and a well-made tank stays tidy. The odd bit of condensation is normal; a proper leak usually means the coil or a seal needs attention.
Looking After Your Tank
A little maintenance keeps a tank performing:
• Rinse the empty tank with warm water when you change coils or flavours, and let it dry
• Change the coil when the flavour dulls or tastes burnt
• Keep the tank topped up so the coil never fires dry
• Store it upright to reduce leaks
• Keep spare coils and seals to hand
Do that and a good tank runs cleanly for a long time. Every tank we stock at Pirate Vapes is genuine, from brands that hold up, so it's built to take the daily wear.
