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Adding a nic salt shot to a shortfill is straightforward once you know the standard ratios. Here is exactly how much to add to a 50ml or 100ml shortfill to achieve your target nicotine strength, with the maths done for you.
Quick Answer: For a standard 50ml shortfill (in a 60ml bottle), add one 10ml nic salt shot at 20mg to achieve approximately 3.3mg finished strength. For a 100ml shortfill (in a 120ml bottle), add two 10ml nic salt shots at 20mg to achieve approximately 3.3mg. These are the standard mixes designed to fit exactly within the bottle space provided. You cannot safely exceed 3mg to 4mg from a standard shortfill without decanting into a larger bottle.
A shortfill is a bottle of nicotine-free e-liquid deliberately underfilled to leave space at the top for a nic shot. Under the UK's Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR), any e-liquid containing nicotine must be sold in bottles no larger than 10ml. This means large bottles of e-liquid, popular with sub-ohm vapers who go through liquid quickly, must be sold without nicotine.
A nic shot (or nicotine booster) is the 10ml concentrated nicotine solution you add to the shortfill to complete the mix. A nic salt shot is the same concept but uses salt-form nicotine rather than standard freebase nicotine, producing a smoother result in the finished e-liquid.
The space left in a shortfill bottle is calculated to accommodate the standard number of shots needed to reach the target strength, usually 3mg, without overflowing the bottle.
The formula for calculating the finished nicotine strength is straightforward. Multiply the shot strength by the shot volume, then divide by the total finished volume.
For example: a 10ml shot of 20mg nic salt added to a 50ml shortfill gives 60ml of finished liquid. The calculation is (10 x 20) divided by 60 = 3.33mg. This is why a standard 50ml shortfill with one 20mg nic salt shot produces approximately 3.3mg finished strength.
| Shortfill Size | Nic Salt Shot | Shots to Add | Finished Volume | Finished Strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50ml | 10ml at 20mg | 1 shot | 60ml | ~3.3mg |
| 50ml | 10ml at 18mg | 1 shot | 60ml | 3mg |
| 100ml | 10ml at 20mg | 2 shots | 120ml | ~3.3mg |
| 100ml | 10ml at 18mg | 2 shots | 120ml | 3mg |
| 50ml (decanted) | 10ml at 20mg | 2 shots (larger bottle needed) | 70ml | ~5.7mg |
| 50ml (decanted) | 10ml at 20mg | 3 shots (larger bottle needed) | 80ml | 7.5mg |
The standard space in a 50ml shortfill bottle only accommodates one 10ml shot. If you want a higher finished strength than 3.3mg from a 50ml shortfill, you need to decant the e-liquid into a larger bottle before adding additional shots. Most vapers using shortfills for sub-ohm DTL vaping are satisfied at 3mg to 6mg, which is why the standard one-shot formula works for the majority.
A 50ml shortfill comes in a 60ml bottle with 10ml of empty space at the top. A 100ml shortfill comes in a 120ml bottle with 20ml of space. If the shortfill bottle is full to the top, there is no room for a shot. Do not attempt to add a shot to a full bottle as it will overflow. Contact the retailer if you believe your shortfill has been overfilled.
Unscrew or pull off the childproof cap from the shortfill bottle. Then remove the inner nozzle tip that sits inside the neck of the bottle. This opens the fill port wide enough to pour the shot in cleanly. Most shortfill bottles have a nozzle that lifts or unscrews with a gentle pull.
Remove the tamper seal from your nic salt shot bottle. The fine nozzle tip on the shot bottle is designed for clean, controlled pouring. Squeeze the entire 10ml into the shortfill bottle slowly. If a few drops miss, wipe them away from the bottle neck before replacing the nozzle. Nicotine is absorbed through the skin, so wash hands promptly if any liquid contacts skin.
Firmly replace the inner nozzle and screw the childproof cap back on tightly. Shake the bottle hard for at least 60 seconds. This ensures the nicotine mixes evenly throughout the e-liquid. Uneven mixing results in inconsistent nicotine delivery between the start and end of the bottle.
You can vape the mixed shortfill immediately but leaving it for a few hours improves the flavour consistency. This short steeping period allows the nicotine and flavour compounds to fully integrate. Give the bottle another shake before filling your tank for the first time.
Shortfill nic shots are available in both freebase and nic salt formats. The finished strength calculation is the same for both. The difference is in how the finished e-liquid feels to vape.
The most common type of nic shot. Adds freebase nicotine at 18mg to the shortfill, producing approximately 3mg finished strength. The finished e-liquid has a slightly more pronounced throat hit than a nic salt version at the same strength. Best suited to sub-ohm setups where a firmer throat hit is part of the experience.
Uses salt-form nicotine at 20mg rather than freebase. The slightly higher starting concentration means the finished strength is approximately 3.3mg rather than 3mg. The finished e-liquid absorbs faster and feels smoother than a freebase nic shot result at the same mg. A better choice for vapers who want the smoothness of nic salts in their shortfill mix.
Whether you need ready-to-vape 10ml nic salts for your pod kit or advice on shortfill mixing, our team at Vapers Pantry can help. Visit us at 39 Birmingham New Road, Wolverhampton or shop online.
Our full guide library covers every nic salt question for UK vapers. Strengths, devices, safety and more.
Yes. Nic salt shots are compatible with any shortfill e-liquid regardless of brand. The main consideration is matching the VG/PG ratio of the shot to the shortfill where possible. If you have a 70/30 VG shortfill for sub-ohm use, a nic salt shot in a 50/50 or 70/30 base produces the most consistent finished ratio. A 100% VG nic salt shot in a 70/30 shortfill will shift the final ratio slightly toward higher VG.
The bottle space in a standard shortfill is designed for exactly one 10ml shot to produce 3mg finished strength. To achieve higher strengths you would need to add more shots, which requires either a larger bottle or removing some of the shortfill first to make space. Higher than 6mg is generally not recommended from a shortfill mix as the additional shots dilute the flavour significantly and the results become difficult to control precisely.
It depends on the VG/PG ratio of the shortfill. Most shortfills use a 70/30 or 80/20 VG ratio designed for sub-ohm use. This thick ratio does not wick well through the tight coils of MTL pod kits and causes dry hits. If you use a pod kit, you are better served by a ready-to-vape 10ml nic salt e-liquid at 10mg or 20mg in a 50/50 ratio rather than a shortfill mix.
Visit Vapers Pantry at 39 Birmingham New Road, Wolverhampton, WV4 6BL. Our team can advise on which nic salt shot format and shortfill combination is right for your device. Call us on 01902 444090 or visit in store.