With the fluxomizers I throw the black cap away (LOL), pull the first rubber ring out and then the next thicker rubbery ring out that holds the wicks down. I then take a dental pick and pull the wicks up a bit so instead of going straight down they go up and almost over the ceramic cup. Then they wick perfect. I throw the rubbery rings away and just make sure to keep my fluxomizer upright so that it doesn't leak (it will without these rings, but it tastes right without them, wrong with them). Hope this helps, sorry for the delay, I didn't know I had messages here! I hate the turbines, I hate the vortex, I want more fluxomizers. I have tried a lot of atomizers/cartomizers....fluxomizers are definitely the best!