Nautilus GT tank, setting the draw from MTL to RDL

On the same mod, two tanks that look almost identical can deliver opposite draws. The Nautilus GT from Aspire makes the point neatly. The same chimney will take a coil that tightens the pull like a narrow straw, and another that opens the air path right up.

You still need to know which version you are holding, which airflow hole to pick and where to stop on the wattage. Three models carry the name, and each one sets the dial somewhere different.

The Nautilus GT in brief, an MTL tank that opens up to RDL

The Nautilus GT is a 24 mm tank born of a collaboration between Aspire and Taifun. Its airflow ring sits at the base and selects one of five holes of different sizes, and it accepts every coil in the Nautilus family.

With a 1.6 ohm BVC coil it gives a tight mouth to lung draw. With a 0.7 ohm mesh coil it moves into restricted direct to lung, without ever reaching the openness of a true DTL setup. The GT II pushes further towards RDL with its 0.3 ohm mesh coil.

GT, GT Mini and GT II, what separates the three Nautilus GT tanks

All three fill from the top and take Nautilus coils. They differ in diameter, capacity and above all in the coils supplied in the box, which set the starting draw.

Spec	GT	GT Mini	GT II
Diameter	24 mm	22 mm	24.8 mm
Standard edition capacity	3 ml	2.8 ml	4.5 ml
TPD edition capacity	2 ml	2 ml	2 ml
Airflow	5 holes at the base	5 settings	Precision ring at the base
Coils supplied	1.6 ohm BVC and 0.7 ohm mesh	1.6 ohm BVC and 0.7 ohm mesh	0.3 ohm mesh and 1.8 ohm BVC
Starting draw	MTL, then moderate RDL	MTL, then moderate RDL	RDL, then very tight MTL

The larger capacities belong to the standard editions built for other markets. Refillable tanks sold in the UK are capped at 2 ml, so the edition that meets British rules is the 2 ml TPD version, which exists for all three models.

The Nautilus GT airflow ring, five holes for five draws

Most tanks use a ring that gradually uncovers a slot. The one on the Nautilus GT rotates through five holes drilled to different diameters, so the adjustment moves in steps rather than continuously.

Each hole gives a fixed cross section of air suited to one family of coils. Changing coil without changing hole therefore often leaves the tank badly set.

We recommend the two smallest holes for BVC coils above 1 ohm, and the two largest for mesh coils below 1 ohm, which need air to cool the vapour. The middle hole bridges the two. For a first try, start on the smallest and open one notch at a time, the approach our guide to vape airflow settings sets out in detail.

Which coil for which draw

The coil matters more than the hole, because it fixes the power range and therefore the style of inhale. The GT II compatibility list names seven Nautilus coils, from 0.3 to 1.8 ohm, and all three versions accept them.

Coil	Rated power	Draw style	Suggested starting hole
1.8 ohm BVC	10 to 14 W	Very tight MTL	Smallest
1.6 ohm BVC	7 to 11 W	Tight MTL	Smallest or second
1.0 ohm mesh	13 to 15 W	Airier MTL	Third
Nautilus 2, 0.7 ohm	18 to 23 W	Moderate RDL	Fourth
Nautilus 2S Mesh, 0.7 ohm	20 to 25 W	Moderate RDL	Fourth
Nautilus 2S, 0.4 ohm	23 to 28 W	Open RDL	Largest
0.3 ohm mesh	23 to 28 W	Open RDL	Largest

These positions apply to the five holes of the GT and the GT Mini.

BVC coils for a tight draw

The 1.6 and 1.8 ohm BVC coils run cool, ask for a slow pull and give the most flavour-dense vapour. Our MTL vaping guide explains why the 1 ohm mark divides the two main families of inhale.

Mesh and Nautilus 2S coils for RDL

Below 1 ohm the tank changes register. The Nautilus 2 and 2S coils are designed for restricted direct to lung, as is the 0.3 ohm mesh supplied with the GT II. The draw stays restricted but goes straight to the lungs, a compromise covered in our piece on RDL vaping.

Three starting setups, from tight to RDL

Three combinations cover most uses. The figures stay within the published ranges, and it pays to start at the bottom of each one.

The tight draw

A 1.6 ohm BVC, the smallest hole, 8 to 9 W to begin with, and a slow pull of two to three seconds. If the vapour feels lukewarm, step up a watt. If it turns dry, step back down and check that the wick is properly saturated.

The in-between draw

A 1.0 ohm mesh, the middle hole and around 13 W. This keeps a little resistance on the pull while softening the throat hit.

Restricted direct to lung

A 0.7 ohm mesh at around 20 W on the original GT, or the 0.3 ohm mesh at around 23 W on the GT II, with the widest holes. The vapour turns cooler and fuller. Going further towards an open draw means changing hardware, and our method for switching from MTL to DTL walks through the steps.

Filling the tank and changing the coil

On the original GT, filling is from the top. Turn the top cap anticlockwise until its dots line up with those on the body, lift it off, pour in the liquid and twist it back firmly clockwise.

For the coil, turn the tank upside down, unscrew the base, swap the old coil for a new one and screw everything back together. A new coil needs to soak before the first puff, with a few drops on the exposed cotton and a few minutes of rest with the tank full.

E-liquid, chosen by the coil

Retailers steer BVC coils towards PG-leaning blends of around 70/30 or 60/40, thin enough for the wicks of high resistance coils. In the UK, nicotine e-liquid comes in 10 ml bottles capped at 20 mg/ml. The 0.3 ohm mesh takes a 50/50 and is better kept to lower strengths, up to 6 mg/ml, because each puff produces more vapour.

Which Nautilus GT for which vaper

For a strictly tight draw, the original GT or the GT Mini is enough, with its 1.6 ohm BVC and the smallest hole, the Mini being the more discreet of the two on a compact mod.

To move between MTL and RDL on one tank, the GT II is the most coherent choice, since it arrives with one coil from each family. For an open draw and big clouds, none of the three fits, because both the holes and the coils belong to a tank built to restrict air.

FAQ

Five practical points that product pages tend to leave out, from choosing a mod to looking after the glass.

Which mod suits a Nautilus GT?

Any 510 mod of at least 30 W covers the whole coil range, since the most demanding coil tops out at 28 W on the manufacturer’s spec sheet. Diameter matters for a flush fit, 24 mm for the GT, 22 mm for the Mini and 24.8 mm for the GT II, which also stands 57 mm tall with its drip tip.

Which coils outside the Nautilus range fit the Nautilus GT?

Triton Mini and Nautilus AIO coils fit as well. That is handy for reusing the coils from an older Aspire tank, provided each one runs within its own power range.

Is the Nautilus GT sold as a kit?

The original GT was sold as a kit with the Aspire Glint mod. The GT II comes in the Zelos X80 kit, a 5 to 80 W mod that runs on a single 18650 cell sold separately. Both tanks are also available on their own.

Why does my Nautilus GT taste burnt?

Three causes come up again and again, namely a new coil that has not soaked, power above the coil’s range, or a liquid too heavy in vegetable glycerine for a BVC coil. A 1.6 ohm BVC pushed well beyond 11 W dries its wick faster than it can draw liquid back in.

Can the glass tube on the GT II be replaced?

Yes, the tube comes off. The standard edition ships with a spare tube, while the 2 ml TPD edition, the one that meets UK rules, does not include one. Check which edition you own before ordering a replacement.

Choose your Nautilus GT by the draw, not the spec sheet

The Nautilus GT reads less as a single object than as a range of settings, with a stepped airflow ring, seven coils and three versions that each set the dial somewhere different, from the tightest MTL to RDL.

The right Nautilus GT is the one whose supplied coil matches the draw you are after, even if you change coil later. Reading hardware through the way you inhale, rather than through capacity or looks, is what we apply to every device we cover.

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