Inside of apogee XT stained black

[R3alsp33dy0ne]

OK so when I first got my XT I filled my loop for a quick test, plain distilled with some silver fittings. I got lazy and ended up running it for about 2 months before re-filling it.

I decided to open it and make sure it was clean since the first fill want exactly done under laboratory conditions. This is what I found:

Is that normal for a loop that has only plain distilled in it? It's not blocked up like it would be with dyes, just stained. Should I be concerned?

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/9131/24418629.jpg

[taters mcgee]

try putting some ketchup on it, and no you should not be concerned, it's just the block oxidizing

[Boulard83]

Yep. Even under distilled the Copper with stain overtime.

[Ketzer7]

Looks like you might be starting to get cupric oxide accumulation. Dissolved oxygen in your water could cause this. It requires an acid to remove effectively, stronger than ketchup.

[=[PULSAR]=]

Try a combo of CLR and Lime-a-way, worked for me.

[R3alsp33dy0ne]

Thanks for the replies guys. If I do attempt to clean it, will the same thing just happen again? Am I better off just leaving it as is? Or will it get worse and worse and destroy the block?

[taters mcgee]

Thanks for the replies guys. If I do attempt to clean it, will the same thing just happen again? Am I better off just leaving it as is? Or will it get worse and worse and destroy the block?

if you clean it, it will eventually get the same again, the only way to prevent it from happening, is to have to plated in nickel or something, and iirc the layer is thin, like atoms thin, so i would imagine by the time the block is no longer useful to you, it would still be fine, even if you kept cleaning it

[Hannibal Lecter]

Thanks for the replies guys. If I do attempt to clean it, will the same thing just happen again? Am I better off just leaving it as is? Or will it get worse and worse and destroy the block?

You should leave it, this is oxidation. The good news is that it builds a very thin film that in fact protects copper from further oxidation. So if you remove it it will come back.

What you should look for is further build up. This can happen when the black film is mechanically removed due to water pressure allowing copper to further oxidise and creating a build up of "gunk" over time. You can see in your block the area where water hit the copper at the highest speed, like the outline of the water "accelerator" at the center. But I wouldn't worry about it at all at this stage, it won't measurably affect your temps.

One way to get rid of the "problem" is to nickel plate the block.

EDIT: I somehow missed your post taters mcgee. +1