(New project) I've read all guides - still need buying advice

[MMhardKy]

Hello everyone,

After going trough all watercooling guides here and a dozen of various threads (took me a few days) a finaly think I can ask for advice :)
My plan was to simply go on with air cooling as I always did, to get Silverstone TJ10 and all the common Thermalright + Yate Loon stuff.

Then xtremesystems.org changed my plan completely and I finaly want to go start with water cooling this time. I am completely new to WC but believe me, I've tried to learn as much as possible about the topic before bothering you with newbie questions.
Now I really do need an advice on what exactly to order tomorow.

As supplier, I've chosen http://www.aquatuning.de as they can ship to my country without problems, so I am limited to what they have there.


Hardware I already own:

Core 2 Duo E8400
Asus Striker II Formula
MSI 8800GTX-OC
HDD: Samsung Spinpoint + WD Raptor

Hardware that is already ordered:

XFX 8800GTX XXX
OCZ ReaperX 1000 4GB

Hardware I have already decided about:

Silverstone TJ07 (Black w window)
PSU: Corsair HX620 or Cooler Master Real Power 1000 (I will toss a coin:)


My general idea is to go for a dual-loop - dual radiator for CPU and MB
and a triple radiator for the GPUs.


Main goal is to keep the system as silent as possible as I am working with audio most of the time (mixing, mastering etc.).

I know this will not be fully possible atm., as I only have cash to put only the CPU and possibly the MB under water - as this will last longer in my system than the GPUs. I will put water cooling on the graphic cards as soon as Nvidia will release some real new high-end, or if it will be clear that this new high-end is more than 6 months away.

So I want to order and use stuff only for the first CPU + MB loop but arranging it in a way that a second loop for GPUs can be added later.

What would you suggest me to order for that loop? My head is full of alternatives, but I have 0 expertiese...
Based on the on my current knowledge, I suppose the right stuff would be:

PUMP: Laing DDC pump - but which one?? (http://www.aquatuning.de/index.php/cat/c159_Laing-12V.html)
I also plan to put it in a quiet box

RESERVOIR: should a buy a Laing Pump with a reservoir build on top of it or should I go for EK Water Blocks? I really like how it looks (http://www.aquatuning.de/product_info.php/info/p2412_EK-Water-Blocks-EK-Multioption-RES-150-Rev-2.html) but will 2 of them fit in the TJ07?

RADIATOR: Black ICE Radiator GT Stealth 240 - black

FANS: Yate Loon D12SL

CPU BLOCK: I really don't know. Maybe DangerDen TDX Universal?


The question is if I shoud go for MB cooling also. The MIPS blocks would cost me 160 euro, do you think its worth it?


Also, which size of tubing do I have to choose? 10,11,12,13..... mm?
I would like it to be UV active and the liquid possibly too.
I am also kind off clueless about the sizes. I know I will have to get 1/4" connections as it is the standard in europe.

Placement: I want to have the both radiators (the one I will get now and the future one) on the bottom, I will remove the HDD cages and place my HDDs in a quiet box in two 5,25 slots.
I also want to place my pump in 5,25 slots. Will it be possible to have room for another pump there?


Thank you very much for any kind of advice! It is really very difficult to choose to right stuff with no experience.

[Pedalmonkey]

D-TEk Fuzion on the CPU.

the EK res will fit in the case with a bit of creativity.

1/2" tubing is the best for flow, not sure wat mm that is, but thats what most use. If you want UV reactive just get reactive coolant like Feser 1. All your fittings should b G1/4" threading and what ever size the Inner Diameter of your tubing is, pretty self explanitory IMO.

You can probably put ur Pump in the bottom with the PSU and rads. just look at the build logs for TJ-07's in the forum.

[MMhardKy]

Thanks. What sucks is that D-Tek fusion is not in stock...:(

Also, do you think a single loop would handle 2x 8800GTX and the CPU?

[MaXXimus]

http://www.petrastechshop.com/dfuuncpubl1.html

[disruptfam]

Thanks. What sucks is that D-Tek fusion is not in stock...:(

Also, do you think a single loop would handle 2x 8800GTX and the CPU?

maybe with a 120.3 and very good fans

[Conumdrum]

Yea, you plan to do the CPU and NB first. Sounds good, and a second loop for the GPU's later. Good choice. I saw you need quiet. I can't recommend enough the Thermochill rads. They by leaps and bounds cool better with quiet fans. You get a PA 120.2 for the CPU/NB and your set. Yate Loon mediums turned to low with a fan controller and it's almost silent. A car driving by on my quiet residential street is louder.

For your GPU loop get a 120.3, again Thermochill. I know the price is double but they are that good if you need quiet.

I wouldn't WC the SB or the ram. All the experts say it's not needed. I put a Thermalright HS on my SB, it's passive and it's plenty cool. For ram, unless you do the monster OC/voltage good case air flow is plenty.

I'd go the FuZion with the Pro mounting kit and the washer/nozzle kit just to get the washer, it really helps on temps. I run a E6600 and use the 5.5 nozzle. NB, the MCW 30 is very popular, good cooling and about the least restriction for a NB block. Ohh the Mosfets. Some buy quality copper HS and thermal tape them to the chips. Depending on your Mobo, it might be good enough stock.

1/2" vs 7/16", no real benefit. 1/2" is better, and less kink if you buy the good Tygon. Your choice though.

Don't scrimp if you can help it.

And TYTYTY for reading around for a while first. Your on the right track already.

[Conumdrum]

Ohh please contact Petras to see if they can ship to you too, they can do wonders. Actually send them an e-mail, they will reply.... really!

And other folks from your country or similar will have ideas and sites to order stuff. Update your sig etc, where are you and what do you have/plan to have?

[Conumdrum]

And found a great linky on the Danger Den www someone was so nice to post, showing the ThermoChill rads in comparison with other Euro/USA rad selections. Shows how good the TC is for low fans and how great it's flow rate is.

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.effizienzgurus.de%2Fm ain%2Findex.php%3Fcontent%3Darticle%26action%3Dvie w_spec_article%26article_id%3D222&langpair=de%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

And Martins flowrate spreadsheet, gotta check it out too.

http://www.martinsliquidlab.com/

[Waterlogged]

The best advice I can give is....take more time to figure out what you need but, if you don't want to follow that advice....


Using just Aquatuning as a source for a build, I would go with:

CPU: D-Tek FuZion (choice#1) or Danger Den MC-TDX (choice #2) IF you plan on using other blocks in the CPU loop (i.e. chipset, MOSFETS). EK Supreme if CPU block is only thing in the loop. Seeing your planing on using a Striker II, you'll likely need some good after market air cooling or some water blocks to slap on there.

Rad: Swiftech MCR220 is the best thin rad available while the best overall rads are Thermochill's PA 120.x series. I would avoid the Black Ice GTS rads as they are anything but "stealthy". They steal a fair amount of flow and pressure from the loop they are in and require high CFM fans (read: loud fans) to get even a reasonable amount of performance out of them. The two rads I listed above are very good with lower CFM/quieter fans. Personally, I would go with a 3x120 rad for the CPU for the reason that you could run the fans at a lower RPM now and have a bit of future proof overhead for the next CPU, whatever that may be.
GPU's are far less "sensitive" to temps and in all honesty, can live quite well on water @ 50ºC+ temps, it's still about a 20ºC improvement. For this reason, I'm gonna say put the GPU(s) on a 2x120, preferably a Thermochill.

Pump: This one is pretty simple, DDC Ultra light would be first choice and DDC Ultra would be second choice. Both of these pumps are DDC3.2's, it's just the top that's different. The "Ultra light" is the new "KOTH" while the "Ultra" is one of the former "KOTH" tops. If you feel like getting a top with the res built in, get the XSPC res top and disregard the advice below.

Res: This too is pretty simple, go with the swiftech micro, best bleeding res out there.

Fittings: Looking through the selection that Aquatuning has leads me to believe that the best fittings they have are the 13mm(1/2") EK high flows. They have some nice compressions but they seem a bit small on the I.D. and no one here but myself likes push-in's.

Tubing: Go with any 15.9/11.1 tubing that meets your fancy.

Coolant: Once you get past Distilled water and algae control, maintenance of the loop goes up considerably as the dye will fade in short order and maybe even gunk up the blocks depending how much you put in. You'll then have to take everything apart and clean it, put it back together again and after a while, you'll realize....the colored water just isn't worth it. Leave the UV effects to the tubing, you'll be happier in the long run. ;)

[MMhardKy]

Thabks for the replies guys!
Waterlogged: I really spend much time trying to figure out what would be best for me. The problem is there is only a limit to what I can read out of guides and forums if I have zero real life experience. Because of that, I appreciete all the infos you are giving me so much!

Thank you for letting me know about the rads!
I am only worried if I can fit 2 Thermochills in the bottom of TJ07. Isn't it too thick? Would a Swiftech MCXxxx and a Thermochill PA120 fit? Also, I have no idea how to actualy fix it there.... Some screws? Tape? Or just some foam?

[Waterlogged]

2 Thermochill's will fit.

Go through this thread and follow all the links, it good stuff.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=174968

[MMhardKy]

Upon going through various awesome TJ07 logs, I noticed that some of the best are single loop (as the goal was to achieve simplicity).

Do you think a single loop would work with my config, it would be:

>Laing DDC-Pumpe 12V Ultra -> PA120.3 ->PA120.2->CPU->MB->GPU1->GPU2->RES>

?

Would the pump handle that?

But that doesn't change anything on the stuff I will order first. I can go any option later.

OK, here is the stuff that I've chosen for the beginning (CPU + MB loop)
What have I forgotten and what would you change?
I'm not sure how I will actualy fix the radiators/reservoir. Is there some special stuff for TJ07 which I can order?

Ordering from http://www.aquatuning.de (except the MIPS blocks)


Blocks

D-Tek FuZion Universal 68,99 €
D-Tek FuZion Intel 775 Pro-Mount Set 12,99 €
MIPS ASUS Striker 2 Freezer Set 164,90 €

Res

EK Water Blocks EK-Multioption RES 150 Rev.2 34,49 €
EK Water Blocks EK-ANTI-Cyclon 2,50 €

Pump

Laing DDC-Pump 12V Ultra Light 76,99 €
Watercool Silentstar DDC-PROBOX 32,21 €

Rad

Thermochill PA120.3 Triple Radiator G3/8 93,99 €
Yate Loon D12SL-12 9x Bundle 42,50 €

Tubing

3m Tube Blue UV (1/2") 19/13mm 15 €
10x Fitting 13mm (1/2") G1/4" with O-Ring 18,49 €
4x Fitting 13mm (1/2") G3/8" with O-Ring 1,99 € x4
4x Smartcoil 11mm (metal) 1,49 € x4
20x clamp 12 - 20mm Stahl verzinkt 0,80 € x20

[Waterlogged]

OK, here is the stuff that I've chosen for the beginning (CPU + MB loop)
What have I forgotten and what would you change?
I'm not sure how I will actualy fix the radiators/reservoir. Is there some special stuff for TJ07 which I can order?

Ordering from http://www.aquatuning.de (except the MIPS blocks)


Blocks

D-Tek FuZion Universal 68,99 €
D-Tek FuZion Intel 775 Pro-Mount Set 12,99 €
MIPS ASUS Striker 2 Freezer Set 164,90 €

Res

EK Water Blocks EK-Multioption RES 150 Rev.2 34,49 €
EK Water Blocks EK-ANTI-Cyclon 2,50 €

Pump

Laing DDC-Pump 12V Ultra Light 76,99 €
Watercool Silentstar DDC-PROBOX 32,21 €

Rad

Thermochill PA120.3 Triple Radiator G3/8 93,99 €
Yate Loon D12SL-12 9x Bundle 42,50 €

Tubing

3m Tube Blue UV (1/2") 19/13mm 15 €
10x Fitting 13mm (1/2") G1/4" with O-Ring 18,49 €
4x Fitting 13mm (1/2") G3/8" with O-Ring 1,99 € x4
4x Smartcoil 11mm (metal) 1,49 € x4
20x clamp 12 - 20mm Stahl verzinkt 0,80 € x20

Not really a big fan of enclosing the DDC at all. These pumps we use do get warm sometimes and if there's no place for the heat to go, it'll build up inside the pump and burn it out quicker.

I understand the decision behind this move but, SM's are a better choice for at least the rad.

You forgot the Nozzle kit (http://www.aquatuning.de/product_info.php/info/p3116_D-Tek-Nozzle-Kit.html). Use the 5.5 nozzle and washer for best results with that setup.

[MMhardKy]

EDIT:

Thank you very much for the info Waterlogged!
I will now try to search what the Nozzle kit is actualy for, but I'll be sure to inslude it in my order :)

Will it be possible (performance-vise) to run the SM on 7V?

Silence is more important to me then performance. I'm actualy not that much of an overclocker.





I am confused about the Pump. Should I buy a top with an inlet on the top? Like the EK Water Blocks EK-DDC X-Top G3/8 Laing DDC Acetal, or XSPC Laing DDC Plexi ?


Does it then matter if I buy a DDC Pro or DDC Ultra or Ultra light?
Do I need any other tools or parts to mount that top on the pump?


Also:


I wouldn't WC the SB or the ram. All the experts say it's not needed. I put a Thermalright HS on my SB, it's passive and it's plenty cool.

Is there a way to cool the SB on the Striker II passive?

[Waterlogged]

The pump you've chosen come with a very good after market top. All you should need is a screw driver or hex wrench for the top if it doesn't come mounted already.

Very possible to run the SM's @ 7v...heck, even 5V if you got a good enough fan controller. You'll just have a little extra umph available if you need it. I find the SL's and SM's to be about the same audio wise when they are under volted.

Don't know if I personally would go passive on something with the "Striker" name, I'll leave that decision up to you but, I agree about not needing water on the south, not sure what would fit it though.

[MMhardKy]

So, all the regular hardware is here, now I need to order all WC stuff asap.

I still don't know what tubung to buy. What would you recommend?
Everybode is recommending 1/2", so I hope I won't run into any problem with this size of tubing.

http://www.aquatuning.de/index.php/cat/c269_19mm-Schlauch.html

But what brand/color to choose? I want to achieve an UV effect, I thought about Masterkleer 19/13mm clear (1/2") and then putting something for the UV effect into the water, but it seems as the general recommendation is to avoid adding any such stuff into the water. Is it really such a problem?

There is also the possibility to buy blue UV reactive 1/2" tubing but will the effect be as good?

Also a question about fittings, is this system good? http://www.aquatuning.de/product_info.php/info/p2515_13mm-ID-Schraubanschluss-gerade-G1-4--2er-Paar.html

[MMhardKy]

Anyone?

[Yeknom]

If you want a strong UV effect, you should just get UV tubing. If you just want a bit of nice lighting, Tygon or Masterkleer (will get crusty after a while) will do the trick, with some dye in the loop.