Footoon Aqua SE RTA: 2.5ml; PC+Stainless; Air/Juice control

[TheBloke]

The new Aqua SE RTA by Footoon is launched and now available for purchase. I just ordered mine this afternoon and hope to have it in a couple of days. I will be doing a YouTube review once I get it.

The Aqua v2 is my all time favourite RTA, and it's been similarly popular with a lot of people. This new SE is the next generation to that, with some improvements - but also some backwards steps, in my view.

Footoon has made a few optimisations to the Aqua v2, including much better airflow, and the addition of minimal, on/off juice flow control. He's also replaced the positive post PEEK insulator with Ceramic, and has milled the negative post to the deck.

In addition, it is now possible to top-fill the tank by first screwing it down to close off air/juice to the deck, and then removing the top cap, allowing filling the tank quickly with any kind of bottle including dripper bottles. This is the best improvement, in my view.

On the downside, juice capacity is a paltry 2.5ml, and there's no real improvements to the deck - it's still going to be a little small and cramped for some builds. Also, the new ceramic insulator under the positive post means that that post must not be tightened too hard, for fear of breaking the insulator. I am worried this means that we're going to be constantly battling with an unscrewing positive post, because we can't super-tighten it to keep it in place while adjusting the positive screw.

The other big change is that this is now exclusively an RTA - no RDA components included (the Aqua v2 was both RTA and RDA.) It's also 304 grade Stainless, down from 316 - I'm not sure what practical difference that makes? Perhaps it's less durable.

These tweaks have brought with them a significant cost reduction: £60 / €80 / $80!

Official photos from Footoon.com:

Footoon himself showing the tank including a build:

Footoon's specs and blurb:

AQUA SE is fully mechanical dual rebuildable tank atomizer for everyone.

Improved everything, even the price, reasonable and affordable. Enjoy.

• Fully mechanical atomizer for everyone
• Improved insulator
• Fixed center post
• ASS (Air Splitter system) [Yes, he really called it that!]
• Vertical brushed design
• Medical grade stainless steel(SUS304F), harmless and easy to clean.
• Cotton bacon inside

• CAPACITY
  • 2.5ml
• MATERIAL
  • Stainless steel - SUS304F (Medical grade)
• COLOR
  • Vertical Brushed
• COMPONENT
  • Aqua SE, warranty card, user manual, extra kits
• TASTE
  • Best

 

[TheBloke]

My first thoughts on the tank (I wrote this this morning when I first heard of it):

Wow, I don't know how I feel about this (compared to the Aqua v2):

2.5ml capacity?? It's kind of ugly as well. No improvements to the deck, besides milled negative post and ceramic insulator. And now you can't tighten the positive post really tightly, because of that ceramic, meaning that you're going to be at regular risk of the positive unscrewing when you adjust the build (that still happens to me sometimes when I super tighten it with pliers)

But then the new airflow is much bigger, that's some improvement. And the new top filling could be great - as long as it doesn't leak with the closed off juice/airflow, then yeah I do like that. That's the best change for me. I guess the juice control might be useful - at least, the ability to turn it off. But I don't get the point of 'adjusting' juice when the holes are so small - I couldn't imagine having too much juice with the standard four juice holes. If the juice holes were Goliath sized, and then they could be turned down, then that would be a good change.

I adore the Aqua v2 - I have six of them (yeah OK not six authentic..) I just don't know what to think about the new 'SE'. I do like that new top filling method - if it works, that's great, because although I like the accessible-deck filling method of the v2 (and SE), those juice holes are pretty small, so filling from most bottles can take ages. It's fast with a syringe, but then you have to factor in the time to fill that syringe, and overall it still takes some time.

But then I hate the new 2.5ml capacity, am worried about the ceramic insulator meaning the positive post will always be loose, and am disappointed that there's been no improvements to make the deck more spacious with room for more coils. If that 2.5ml capacity had come at the cost of a wider deck, I could understand it - might even prefer it. But the deck is not really any different, and the capacity is lower just because the tank is shorter which annoys the hell out of me - just extend the narrow part of the chimney, and the tanks by a few mm and let's have some useful capacity in there.

I really hope I'm wrong but so far I have to say I'm quite disappointed - it feels like two steps forward, two steps back.

My second thoughts on the tank (written now, after ordering!):

All that said, I did order one as soon as I found it in the UK. £60 for a Footoon original is a great price. I have a lot of Footoon clones so I did think I owed him a genuine purchase, and this is it.

That 2.5ml capacity is the main disappointment, but it does come with the caveat of top-filling which might balance it out somewhat. And perhaps the advantage of the small capacity is also going to be great flavour from a small chimney.

Anyway, we shall see! I will do a YouTube review after I'd had mine a couple of days, so in about a week from now I'd say.

 

[f1r3b1rd]

Wow.. the v2 is a piece of art imho, first time I bought an rta before hearing anything about it.
This one I'm already deciding to pass on. 2.5ml. and its just not appealing aesthetically.

 

[TheBloke]

Wow.. the v2 is a piece of art imho, first time I bought an rta before hearing anything about it.
This one I'm already deciding to pass on. 2.5ml. and its just not appealing aesthetically.

Yes it is, and yes those were exactly my first thoughts as well.

I have to admit that I do not own a single authentic Aqua v2 - all six of mine are clones, of varying qualities. That did play quite a large part in my decision to rush out and buy this: I had said to myself that I owed Footoon at least one genuine purchase, and I'd look at whatever next tank he came out with. So I decided to take the plunge.

What I'm hoping is that:

• Low 2.5ml capacity is balanced out by easy top-filling
  • That's what I found with the Lemo 2 - when I was first getting it, I thought 3.5ml down from 5ml of the Lemo 1 was a big shame. But then once I got it and started using it, I realised I didn't care - the Lemo 2 was so much more convenient to fill, not even needing to remove it from the mod, that I much preferred it overall.
  • So now I'm hoping the same will be true of the SE - yes the capacity is nearly 40% less. But if it can be filled in 30 seconds instead of 3 minutes each time, that will go a long way to balancing out that disadvantage.
• Low capacity means small chimney means even better flavour than the Aqua v2, which was already awesome

As for looks, well yes I agree - the Aqua v2 looked wonderful, this looks.. different. It's not immediately beautiful, and that's a shame. That gold at the bottom looks kind of out of place in my view, like it's been thrown in without great thought "just because it's gold". Then the protruding top bit is particularly ugly - very angular and blocky.

So yeah, it's by no means an evolution of the v2. There's some improvements, but also some negatives. Two steps forward, two steps back.

That's a big shame. But I do have to celebrate that it's now £60 / $80. That's still double the price of most Chinese RTAs (Goliath, Lemo 2 etc), but it's at least coming down to the semi-reasonable level.

Anyway, I shall have to see how I like it. And at least I will now have one genuine Footoon

 

[f1r3b1rd]

Yes it is, and yes those were exactly my first thoughts as well.

I have to admit that I do not own a single authentic Aqua v2 - all six of mine are clones, of varying qualities. That did play quite a large part in my decision to rush out and buy this: I had said to myself that I owed Footoon at least one genuine purchase, and I'd look at whatever next tank he came out with. So I decided to take the plunge.

What I'm hoping is that:

• Low 2.5ml capacity is balanced out by easy top-filling
  • That's what I found with the Lemo 2 - when I was first getting it, I thought 3.5ml down from 5ml of the Lemo 1 was a big shame. But then once I got it and started using it, I realised I didn't care - the Lemo 2 was so much more convenient to fill, not even needing to remove it from the mod, that I much preferred it overall.
  • So now I'm hoping the same will be true of the SE - yes the capacity is nearly 40% less. But if it can be filled in 30 seconds instead of 3 minutes each time, that will go a long way to balancing out that disadvantage.
• Low capacity means small chimney means even better flavour than the Aqua v2, which was already awesome

As for looks, well yes I agree - the Aqua v2 looked wonderful, this looks.. different. It's not immediately beautiful, and that's a shame. That gold at the bottom looks kind of out of place in my view, like it's been thrown in without great thought "just because it's gold". Then the protruding top bit is particularly ugly - very angular and blocky.

So yeah, it's by no means an evolution of the v2. There's some improvements, but also some negatives. Two steps forward, two steps back.

That's a big shame. But I do have to celebrate that it's now £60 / $80. That's still double the price of most Chinese RTAs (Goliath, Lemo 2 etc), but it's at least coming down to the semi-reasonable level.

Anyway, I shall have to see how I like it. At least I will now have one genuine Footoon

My v2 is authentic, the first authentic tank I've ever bought actually. If it were 3.5 ml, and didn't have that gold I would jump all over it. Really if it didn't have one or the other, hahaha but mostly the gold. The squared off thing I can live with, eventually.
The price is the most beautiful part of the whole thing

 

[TheBloke]

My v2 is authentic, the first authentic tank I've ever bought actually. If it were 3.5 ml, and didn't have that gold I would jump all over it. Really if it didn't have one or the other, hahaha but mostly the gold. The squared off thing I can live with, eventually.

Well I would place a moderately large bet that that gold bottom cap is just a gold version of the stainless bottom cap we have on the v2s - the thing you unscrew to access the 510 and replace the plastic insulator with the little brass thingy for hybrid-ing.

So what I'm thinking is that if you really hate the gold, you could use the stainless bottom cap of the v2 (either your authentic, or a $18 clone you could buy) to remove that one aspect you dislike.

Obviously this will need confirmation. I will check on mine when I get it - in fact I'll be comparing all the parts to see which, if any, are interchangeable with the v2 (or at least, with my v2 clones! Which are fairly 1:1)

 

[f1r3b1rd]

If the tank fits let me know, ill Frankenstein the damn thing!

The tank on the v2 is gorgeous

 

[TheBloke]

So I think these bottom caps could be interchangeable - in fact, should be, because the SE allows Hybrid M10 x 1 as well. So the thread is the same, and surely the hole in the middle is the same as well.

 

[TheBloke]

Tank section? Very much doubt it. The new tanks are much shorter. And more importantly, so is the chimney, so I can't imagine how the bigger tank could be made to fit.

Well, unless of course the whole chimney of the old one fits on the new one That would make it more v2 than SE I think But I suppose you'd keep the better airflow. But you'd surely lose the top filling, because the part that removes to allow top filling surely won't fit on the old chimney.

But yeah I will try all these things and see what creations are possible

 

[f1r3b1rd]

Well, unless of course the whole chimney of the old one fits on the new one That would make it more v2 than SE I think But I suppose you'd keep the better airflow. But you'd surely lose the top filling, because the part that removes to allow top filling surely won't fit on the old chimney.

that^^^^^ hahaha
the top fill wouldn't bother me any, I use all need tip bottles
I'm more looking to try and get just a hair better airflow. The v2 isn't bad by any means, I use it daily, but if it were just a touch more open....

 

[TheBloke]

that^^^^^ hahaha
the top fill wouldn't bother me any, I use all need tip bottles
I'm more looking to try and get just a hair better airflow. The v2 isn't bad by any means, I use it daily, but if it were just a touch more open....

Yeah I understand - well, that could work. Have you considered drilling on your v2? It has 2 x 2mm = 4mm airflow on the deck, but then only a single 3mm hole to the outside. So adding a second 3mm (or smaller) hole to the outside, opposite the original, would increase airflow by 33%, to 4mm. As you're only looking for a bit of extra airflow, that could do the trick.

My Aqua SE shipped first thing this morning so I have a chance of delivery tomorrow, fingers crossed!

 

[f1r3b1rd]

Yeah I understand - well, that could work. Have you considered drilling on your v2? It has 2 x 2mm = 4mm airflow on the deck, but then only a single 3mm hole to the outside. So adding a second 3mm (or smaller) hole to the outside, opposite the original, would increase airflow by 33%, to 4mm. As you're only looking for a bit of extra airflow, that could do the trick.

My Aqua SE shipped first thing this morning so I have a chance of delivery tomorrow, fingers crossed!

I thought about it, and if it were my lemo, no problem, I drilled out the chamber on that, but if I screwed up it was only a 20-25$ booboo. On thru aqua, its closer to perfect as anything else I've used, and nice looking, homie doesn't want to screw it up

 

[TheBloke]

I thought about it, and if it were my lemo, no problem, I drilled out the chamber on that, but if I screwed up it was only a 20-25$ booboo. On thru aqua, its closer to perfect as anything else I've used, and nice looking, homie doesn't want to screw it up

Yeah understood.

So now go buy a $16-25 clone and drill out that one I don't own an original v2 but I do own an awful lot of clones, and so far as I can tell they are more or less identical in function. FastTech discontinued their actual 1:1 clone, but the Tobeco clone for example is described as basicaly 1:1 besides its box. Some of the clones I have are actually clones-of-the-Tobeco-clone and they're still awesome - and those cost about $16!

I can steer you in the direction of some known-good clones that I bet you will perform just as well as your original - and you won't have to worry about drilling out

 

[f1r3b1rd]

Might do that, I wanted to order a few odds and ends from Ft anyway

 

[f1r3b1rd]

Where did you order it from?

 

[TheBloke]

Where did you order it from?

The Aqua SE?

Ifancyone.com in the UK:

https://www.ifancyone.com/index.php/pro-vaping-modware/rba/aqua-se-by-footoon.html

 

[f1r3b1rd]

Ok cool! Ima let you be the test subject hahaha
Curious to see what fits and how the ceramic insulator is. If it passes im ordering it. Hahah

 

[TheBloke]

Imma just leave this here...




(came just as I have to go out the door, so testing will have to wait a few hours sadly )

 

[f1r3b1rd]

Sweet!
Congrats!!!

 

[Joleytime]

I asked Footoon on facebook and he said he has a plan to get a bigger tank for Aaua SE

Hopefully in the near future.

 

[f1r3b1rd]

That would rock!

 

[TheBloke]

I had a 30 minute window before I have to go again so I whipped it out!

First thoughts:

• Spares are:
  • Two screws (flathead)
  • Complete o-ring set in pink
  • Hybrid adapter
  • Non-blue flathead screwdriver
• I like my serial number, 0421 - one lower might have been a bit cooler But I like having '42' in it!
• It looks pretty nice 'in the flesh'
• Threading seems nice
• I'm afraid the chimney wobbles like Santa Claus on a waterbed filled with jelly
  • dems86 I had no idea what you meant earlier when you said 'the wobble has gone' - none of my clones wobble. This wobbles
  • OK it's not horrible, but I noticed it immediately and was surprised as I'd never seen that before on any v2 clone
• Also disappointed to find that the negative post only has a standard two holes - in and out
  • the positive post has the multi-hole as on v2 - I don't understand why the negative doesn't as well.
  • On a two post deck, what's the difference between positive and negative? Why have multi hole on one and not on the other?
  • Methinks I'm going to need to correct that with a drill
• The airflow slot is much larger than the previous 3mm hole, but half of it is filled with plastic (the usual round insert under the bottom cap) so it's not as big as it seems
  • I'm assuming the gaps around that plastic total 4mm, so the 2x2mm on the deck can now be fully utilised
• I didn't realise it comes with a little drip tip - quite cute!
• All the spare o-rings are pinkish which looks like it might look quite good actually
  • but bear in mind that if you break one, you're going to be changing colour from the default white to this pinkish colour
• I think I can see some oil residue on the stainless, so - just like a $15 clone - I'm going to have to ultrasonic this.
  • Not the best "first expensive authentic" experience I could have had.
• The top fill is a little harder to get off than I imagined - there's not much to grip on the little round chimney piece
  • but it does look like it's going to be a much faster fill method than going through the four juice holes

 

[TheBloke]

Quick piccies, then I must run again - proper testing later!

 

[f1r3b1rd]

Nice!