Zeus Sub Ohm Tank, what it really takes to run one

On a shop listing, the Geekvape Zeus Sub Ohm Tank fits into a few lines, a diameter, a capacity and two coils. In use, it tells a different story. It needs a powerful mod, empties far faster than a pod and wears through coils at a pace no listing mentions. Before picking one up, it is worth knowing what it gets through, in liquid as much as in battery energy.

Zeus Sub Ohm Tank, what it uses and what it needs

The Zeus Sub Ohm Tank is a direct lung tank built for 0.2 and 0.4 ohm coils run between 60 and 80W. It therefore needs a regulated mod that can hold that power, a high-VG e-liquid and frequent refills in its 2ml edition, the one that matches UK rules.

What it consumes comes down to three things, liquid, coils and battery energy. Those three markers, more than the draw itself, decide whether it suits the way you vape.

Identifying the right Zeus Sub Ohm Tank before setting it up

The name is attached to several tanks, and shops do not always mean the same model. Getting the settings right starts with the right spec sheet, then with the right edition.

The original model and its TPD edition

The spec page for the original model published by Geekvape, read in its archived version, describes a tank 26mm wide and 42.5mm tall without the drip tip. The drip tip is the 810 type, filling is from the top by turning the top cap 90 degrees, and the coil plugs into the base.

Item	Listed value
Diameter and height	26mm, 42.5mm without drip tip
Drip tip	810 type
Pre-installed coil	Mesh Z2, 0.2 ohm, 70 to 80W
Second coil supplied	Mesh Z1, 0.4 ohm, 60 to 70W
Capacity	5ml standard edition, 2ml TPD edition
Spare glass	3.5ml standard edition, 2ml TPD edition

The last row is easy to miss. The TPD edition ships with a 2ml spare glass, not the 3.5ml glass from the standard box. UK rules cap refillable tanks at 2ml, so the 2ml edition is the one that belongs on UK shelves.

Later tanks with a similar name

Geekvape later reused the name for the Z Subohm SE and then the Z Subohm 5. These are different tanks, with their own sizes and capacities, which some retailer listings still label as the Zeus Sub Ohm.

Power ranges also vary from page to page. Some listings give 50 to 60W for the Mesh Z1, the range Geekvape now publishes on its Z coil page, while the tank’s original spec page gave 60 to 70W. Before ordering a coil or a glass, the generation printed on the box and the range printed on the coil remain the only reliable references.

Setting up the tank, from a new coil to the right wattage

A badly prepared coil starts to degrade within the first few puffs. Two steps shape everything that follows, priming the cotton and choosing a starting wattage.

Priming a Mesh Z coil

A new coil contains dry cotton. Before firing it for the first time, a few drops of e-liquid on the side ports and in the centre, then a full tank left to sit for a few minutes, let the cotton soak through completely.

Skipping this step is expensive. Dry cotton fired at 70W burns on the very first puff, and the coil goes straight in the bin without ever having been used.

Choosing between the Mesh Z1 and the Mesh Z2

The 0.4 ohm Mesh Z1 needs less power and pairs well with a mod that tops out around 70W. The 0.2 ohm Mesh Z2 aims at the top of the range, with denser vapour and a higher draw on both energy and liquid.

With a new coil, the safest approach is to start at the bottom of the printed range, then move up a few watts at a time. The right wattage is the one that gives warm vapour with no dry taste, not the one showing the highest number.

How much e-liquid this tank goes through

A direct lung tank vaporises more liquid per puff than a mouth to lung pod, because its coil runs at a far higher wattage. The Zeus Sub Ohm Tank is no exception, and its capacity widens the gap.

The 2ml TPD edition holds 40% of the volume of the 5ml standard edition. For the same consumption, it therefore needs refilling 2.5 times as often. That is the first change to expect for anyone who has read reviews written around the 5ml tank.

The liquid matters as much as the volume. Two retailers recommend an e-liquid with at least 70% vegetable glycerine (VG), the thicker base that produces the vapour. A thinner 50/50 passes through the ports of a 0.2 ohm coil faster and encourages leaks and gurgling.

In the UK, nicotine e-liquid is sold in bottles of up to 10ml at no more than 20mg/ml, so how long a bottle lasts depends first on the device. Our article on how long 10ml e liquid lasts sets out that gap between a pod and a high-power tank.

The energy it asks of the mod and its batteries

The wattage shown on a mod is energy spent per second. At 80W, a 3 second puff uses 240 joules. At 60W, with the Mesh Z1 at the bottom of its range, the same puff uses 180.

An 18650 battery rated at 3,000mAh, at its nominal 3.6V, stores about 10.8Wh, or 38,880 joules. On paper, it covers about 160 puffs of 3 seconds at 80W, and about 215 at 60W. Losses in the electronics and the mod cutting out before the battery is fully drained bring that ceiling down, so read it as an order of magnitude.

That sum helps when choosing a mod. On a single battery the reserve goes quickly at 80W, while a dual battery mod doubles it. The batteries themselves should follow the mod’s manual, which states the discharge current to respect.

The contrast with lower-powered kit is clear. Our look at the Aspire Zelos 3 shows how the coil alone changes the volume of liquid used.

Tracking coil wear on the Zeus Sub Ohm Tank

A mesh coil gives no warning message, it simply wears down. Four signs come up again and again, a flavour that fades, a burnt note, thinner vapour at the same setting and liquid that darkens quickly in the tank.

A test published on a shop’s blog puts the life of the Mesh Z2 at one to two weeks at most, and finds the tank far from the most frugal with liquid. That finding depends on wattage, liquid and each vaper’s pace, but it gives an order of magnitude for tracking wear.

Noting the date each coil goes in, the wattage set and the liquid used is enough to link wear to use. A very sweet liquid generally gunks up mesh faster than a light fruit blend, and a simple log makes that visible within a few weeks. Our article on the right unit for measuring what you use offers a straightforward way to keep those notes.

Coils are changed with the tank empty and cooled down. The coil plugs into the base, and the box includes a tool designed to remove it without damaging the seals.

FAQ

A few questions come up regularly after the first days with this tank. Here are the short answers.

Can nicotine salts go in a Zeus Sub Ohm Tank?

That is not what it is designed for. Nicotine salts are sold for low-wattage pods, whereas this tank vaporises a large volume per puff at 60W and above. A liquid made for a pod suits neither the draw nor the thickness the coil expects.

How do you remove a stuck coil?

Let the tank cool, empty it, then use the supplied tool rather than pliers. A seal swollen by liquid can be the cause, in which case a quick wipe usually frees it.

Why does the tank spit?

Spitting comes from too much liquid on the mesh. A wattage too low for the coil, too hard a pull or a tank left lying on its side after filling are the most common causes. Moving up a few watts within the printed range often fixes it.

Is this tank a good first device?

It is better suited to vapers already used to direct lung vaping, where vapour is inhaled without being held in the mouth first. A first setup with a tighter draw, such as a pod, needs fewer settings and less power to find your bearings.

Can you carry the Zeus filled in a bag?

Its top airflow is designed to limit leaks, since no opening sits below the liquid level. In a bag, it is still best kept upright, top cap closed, in a rigid vape pouch.

Zeus Sub Ohm Tank, the markers to keep in mind

This tank is judged less on its draw than on what it consumes. In the 2ml TPD edition it needs refilling 2.5 times as often as the standard edition, it calls for 60 to 80W and a 70% VG liquid, and its mesh coils wear at the pace of the wattage you choose.

Those three markers, liquid, energy and coils, apply to any sub ohm tank. Noting them over the first few weeks is enough to tell whether the Zeus Sub Ohm Tank fits your use, and to read more clearly what your whole vaping setup asks of you.

Editorial content for adult readers only. Vaping products can contain nicotine, a substance that causes addiction. Vaping products are not for sale to anyone under 18 in the UK. This article is not a buying recommendation and is not personalised advice.