Toto Aquia dual flush toilet product review, comments and posts.

**Basement_Lurker** · 01-01-2009, 09:28 AM

The Aquia II/III installation is simpler than an Aquia I install. The Aquia I installs using a special version of Toto's unifit flange which acts as part of the trapway. But the Aquia II/III units install much like a conventional toilet; they have their own trapway, and they drop into the "outlet flange" which gets bolted on top of the wax ring/floor flange via the toilet bolts. Then the toilet gets siliconed to the floor if movement is a problem.

Installation instructions for Aquia

**arnsberg** · 01-05-2009, 05:44 PM

We purchased the above Toto about 2 years ago . It looks great and works very very well. I do not find it noisy.
We do have a problem and I am wondering if anyone else has had this problem?.

I find that unless I clean the toliet every 2or 3 days, and sometimes each day , there is a distinct urine odor. I am an Interior Designer/ Decorator and I noticed the definite same smell in a client's home recently (she had 2 dual-flush toto's).Upstairs we have a Maxwell
2nd generation toliet we bought 7 years ago and there is no odor problem with it , tho it does not work near as well as the Toto.

I would appreciate comments if anyone else is experiencing this.?I might add I did contact the Toto rep . and they suggested it could be a vent problem , however we have never had this problem before and as I mentioned the toliet upstairs is fine.

**jadnashua** · 01-05-2009, 06:28 PM

The most common problem is that the toilet was not caulked around the base and an occasional miss by the male (young or old) allowed some to migrate underneath. Pull the toilet, clean well, then reinstall with some caulk to keep that from happening. Sometimes a dog or cat can mark the spot as well.

There are some enzymeatic cleaners that can help, but without the bottom being caulked, it may not penetrate far enough or prevent it from happening again.

There's nothing in the toilet that would allow this to happen.

Note, though, that as a two-piece toilet (on the Drake, but true for any two-piece), it's possible to get some accumulation between the bowl and the tank. That would require taking it apart and doing a thorough cleaning and better aim control!

**patchesj** · 01-06-2009, 06:57 AM

Originally Posted by Basement_Lurker

The Aquia II/III installation is simpler than an Aquia I install. The Aquia I installs using a special version of Toto's unifit flange which acts as part of the trapway. But the Aquia II/III units install much like a conventional toilet; they have their own trapway, and they drop into the "outlet flange" which gets bolted on top of the wax ring/floor flange via the toilet bolts. Then the toilet gets siliconed to the floor if movement is a problem.

We've run into a "rocking" issue with the 3 Aquia I's installed in our home. The plumber has installed 2 plastic shims under the front sides of the toilet to help with this, but it's not a pretty solution and creates a gap between the skirt and tile floor. Will silicone actually hold the toilet to the tile?

**jadnashua** · 01-06-2009, 09:47 AM

I use coins to shim, and the preferred place is to force the front down, and shim at the back, but either will work. The real goal is to not allow the toilet to rock. The shims should end up entirely under the lip of the base, so that they aren't visible. The bolts really hold the toilet in place, but caulk will both add to that AND seal stuff from dripping down the sides and going under the toilet where it can't be cleaned easily. Because the bolt holes have some slop, the friction between the bottom of the bowl and a smooth tiled floor make it easier to move the toilet around a little, regardless of how tight you make it. Since tile has no give, nor does the toilet, you can't get them super tight, or you'll crack the bowl, especially if you are using shims - the toilet won't bend! So, shims are needed if either the floor isn't perfectly flat, or the toilet bottom isn't. SOmetimes it is one or the other and both is not uncommon with some brands.

**patchesj** · 01-06-2009, 09:50 AM

Does anyone have a picture of the underside of the bowl? I'm trying to figure out where the "most flat" area would be to shim.

Thanks.

**Terry** · 01-06-2009, 10:15 AM

We always shim the back of the bowl and push the front down to the floor.
We do not shim the front unless there is no other way.
Coins do not work well.
We use plastic door shims that are six inches long.
They have a much smoother taper and snap off easily.
After that, we caulk with Clear PolySeamSeal.

Installation instructions for Aquia

Complete Instructions for the Aquia written by Jamie

**arnsberg** · 01-07-2009, 05:01 PM

Thank you for responding to my question. Your answer makes sense . I forgot
to mention that our floor is like beach stones and I recollect that it was challenging to level the toliet . We had to put in a shim and then my husband caulked with silicone. Yes, I think there have been a few misses with urine.

At least you have cleared up there being any issue with the toliet.

Thank you.
Arnsberg

**Newmark** · 01-19-2009, 02:15 PM

I have three Toto Aquias ( type I) in my home and they all do the .9 gallon half flush regardless of which button is pressed. All of them flushed fine after I installed them but after a few months they started doing this.

When taking the lid off the tank, I see no problem with how the button pins align with the internal buttons on the flush tower (although they are a bit short as another person mentioned). If I operate the internal buttons without the lid on, sometimes it flushes properly. But sometimes not and I can see the blue cup rise in the flush tower when the full flush button is pressed and this is supposed to happen only for the half flush.

When I remove the flush tower and fiddle with the buttons, both the stopper mechanisms seem to work just fine.

We have very soft water here and there are no obvious mineral deposits.
Anyone seen this problem?

thanks

**justM** · 03-08-2009, 08:35 AM

I've got my Acquia II. I've taken out my old toilet (a first). I've tiled the bathroom (just vinyl tiles...the toilet took most of my budget...over concrete). I've been planning on having the plumber install the toilet. However, I'm not sure, having studied this thread, who has the advantage: me, who's studied this thread but never installed a toilet, or the plumber, who's installed thousands of toilets but never THIS kind of toilet. I did ask him about it. He said he'd heard good things. He said no problem, but he knew he was going to have to drill into the slab. It's not his favorite thing to do, but no problem.

Honestly, that's the scariest thing to me...drilling into the slab. What if the holes aren't straight? What if they're off a bit?

I think between the instructions, this thread, and general 'how to install a toilet' instructions, I'm pretty well off.

I wish the instructions were Acquia II specific. I've gone through and crossed out the stuff pertaining to the A I.

One other concern: the tank bolts.
In post 37 of this thread, Terry said that they sand the inside of the tank where the bolts connect. Every time? And why? Make it rougher to get a better seal? Make it less thick?

Others talk about tightening them...a lot. That scares me too. I don't want to break it. But I also don't want leaks.

I'll probably fire away other questions/concerns. Any bits of advice or answers to the questions wedged into my post are appreciated.

Complete Instructions for the Aquia written by Jamie

**jadnashua** · 03-08-2009, 03:59 PM

The porcelain after casting, will have a little roughness to it. Using some fine sandpaper will smooth it off, making it easier for the gasket to seal without undue pressure. This is true of any toilet...you probably don't need to do it, but it only takes 10-seconds, so why not?

The Aquia comes with a template to show you where to drill your holes. It's not rocket science. A new, nice and sharp carbide drill bit should drill a clean hole fairly easily. One thing I've noticed is that the plastic inserts they include seem to be sized for metric holes, and the equivalent inch-size is slightly small. I've just picked up some made for inch-size. Your results may differ...I haven't installed one for awhile, so don't know if that was a one-time or long-term situation. A hammer drill makes holes in concrete easier, but for 4-holes, not worth the expense unless you will have a use for it later...more tools are always nice! A regular one will work, especially with a new bit. Vacuum out the debris from the hole before you try to insert the fastener.

**justM** · 03-08-2009, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by jadnashua

The porcelain after casting, will have a little roughness to it. Using some fine sandpaper will smooth it off, making it easier for the gasket to seal without undue pressure. This is true of any toilet...you probably don't need to do it, but it only takes 10-seconds, so why not?

Thanks. I just wanted to know why. I'd feel better doing it now.

The Aquia comes with a template to show you where to drill your holes. It's not rocket science. A new, nice and sharp carbide drill bit should drill a clean hole fairly easily. One thing I've noticed is that the plastic inserts they include seem to be sized for metric holes, and the equivalent inch-size is slightly small. I've just picked up some made for inch-size. Your results may differ...I haven't installed one for awhile, so don't know if that was a one-time or long-term situation. A hammer drill makes holes in concrete easier, but for 4-holes, not worth the expense unless you will have a use for it later...more tools are always nice! A regular one will work, especially with a new bit. Vacuum out the debris from the hole before you try to insert the fastener.

My house is made of block/brick. This would probably be the perfect excuse to get a hammer drill...but I think I'll just get a nice new bit. The vacuuming is a good tip.

Thanks again.

**JIMANDTHOM** · 03-10-2009, 07:52 AM

Installed an aquia ii the last weekend in february, in the main bath, and unless the the performance starts to "crap" out another will be installed in our 3/4 bath this summer or fall. The installation over vinyl went very well, no runs, no drips etc... Took about 2 hours as i kept reading the instructions and checked everything many times before going to the next step. We have had no issue with "marking", but varing degrees of digestive health could have a bearing on this. A big test on this will be when my brother comes for a visit. We swapped out on old 1940s crane that was a +3 gallon flusher and estimate a 12-15ooo gallon saving yearly on our water bill plus a savings on our sewer bill. While i realize the next install on concrete floor may be more of a challenge i would rate this toilet as moderatly easy to install-looks and performs well and would not hesitate to recommend this unit based on this short period of use.

**jzsjr** · 03-11-2009, 06:57 AM

I'm trying to figure out if the Aquia II will fit in my space. The rough in is the required 12 inches but The plumbing comes up through the floor and not the wall. I had to re-do it this way when a nipple broke on me. Thus the plumbing through the floor is about 3 inches off the wall measured to the furthest edge of the escutchen (sp) and is 2 3/4 inches to the nearest edge of the escutchen from the center of the toilet. If this is too vague perhaps I can attach a picture later. I'm worried that since the Aquia toliet bases run very close to the wall the plumbing will be in the way.
thanks,
Jim

**jzsjr** · 03-14-2009, 05:39 AM

I went ahead and bought the Aquia II and installed it yesterday. There was enough room for the water line that comes up through the floor partially behind the toilet. It is a very nice looking and working toilet. It is also my third (different) toto completing my three bathrooms (thanks to Terry's web site). My advice is to use the link on Terry's responses to Jamie's installation instructions. The part about drilling the white anchors with the 3/16 inch bit is very helpful (always good to switch to a normal wood bit and not use a masonary bit). When drilling on tile I've found it necessary to tap the tile with a nail punch or the bit itself to score the tile so the bit does not walk all over the place. I also thought I would pass on that it is better to use wax to lube screw threads than soap.
thanks,
Jim