Could this honestly be algae? (Now with pics..)

Hi,

So my loop has been running for a couple of months now and I've noticed like a green gunk forming only on the bottom threads of the EK multi-option reservoir.

This is happening in both loops which use distilled water and a silver kill coil each. I'm also using Primochill LRT Pro which has an anti-microbial coating on it.

As I say, it's only forming on the very very bottom thread of the bottom section of the EK reservoir but I'm sure it's gotten worse since day one.

Could this be algae or is it something else? If so, how can I stop it? I would've thought the silver killcoils would've worked better...

Apart from this part of the loop, everything else looks crystal clear. Could it just be general gunk from the rads or plasticizer that's getting caught in the threads?

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_dctFDUOxwRw/Sz...0/DSC00643.JPG
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_dctFDUOxwRw/Sz...0/DSC00647.JPG

Thanks.

The UV lights used in comps are not actual Ultra vilot light. Therefore, doubt it makes a difference.

Is that the only place you are seeing it? It does look like algae to me too, that is odd. Where is the o-ring on those EK res'?

I'm not sure where the o-ring is - I've never taken the reservoirs apart. What I cannot understand is how it's only forming there. The pumps are clear :S

There seems to be a higher build-up in the GPU+Mobo loop (green tubing) than in the CPU loop (blue tubing).

the O-ring is at the very very base almost right near where the buildup is showing

I just wish I knew what it was.

Thoughts were also:

1) Plasticizer
2) Rad flux mixed with copper oxide?

Surely if it was algae it would be all over the loop, not just in one place.

The case does have a window side. It also stands next to a house radiator underneath my window. As it is winter, there is very little direct sunlight (if any) shining into the case.

Again, I would've thought there would be algae all over the reservoir if that's what it is...

I'm lost :(

i would almost throw in some algae killer

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Originally Posted by disturbed13

i would almost throw in some algae killer

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I have a silver kill-coil (iandh one) at the inlet going into the reservoir. This kills algae.

I've had a second opinion from someone who's had a close look at the res and they say it doesn't look like algae as it would be furry, and that it looks more like a green compound. Also, they said if it were algae, the water would be green instead of being crystal clear.

It's a shame the photos weren't better.

Hmm the first picture looks like it could be a diffuse light reflection but the second doesn't..
If that area is outside of the reservoir o-ring seal,
then there could be a minuscule amount of liquid gradually seeping out.
Therefore that area is damp with liquid and not affected by the killcoil?
Just my best guess really..

I think it is algae, the liquid that's made it's waY down the threads and is out of the main circulation and the kill coil can't help down there. Algae killer might help, but if not I would drain the loop and wipe down those threads.

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Originally Posted by Weevil

I think it is algae, the liquid that's made it's waY down the threads and is out of the main circulation and the kill coil can't help down there. Algae killer might help, but if not I would drain the loop and wipe down those threads.

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Agreed, but I don't think algae killer will help.

I'd just wipe the threads down with alcohol and put it back together, or just not worry about it.

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Originally Posted by tool_462

Agreed, but I don't think algae killer will help.

I'd just wipe the threads down with alcohol and put it back together, or just not worry about it.

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dont put alcohol anywhere near your plastic parts.

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Originally Posted by zeropluszero

dont put alcohol anywhere near your plastic parts.

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It is fine on plastic. The threads are plastic and inert and alcohol wont solubilize an inert solid.

Thanks guys.

What's to stop this happening again and again though?

Has anyone else had this problem?

I'll just leave it if it isn't going to cause any problems as taking the loop apart would be a nightmare - unless you think it's necessary?

My other concern would be striping the threads as those EK reservoirs are screwed together really really tightly. What do I do with the algae killer stuff?

Couple of drops of PT nuke should do it. that is if it can make its way down there.

Algae killer is just a couple drops of liquid that will at least keep the active flow of the loop free of algae. Probably a good investment to make so it doesn't spread to areas like your blocks and lower flow areas.

That is the only place then? It could be algae as someone already stated, there is not circulation down there, so the silver isn't really going to help. If that is the only place, I would just let it be, then tear your loop down later. You could put some silicon on the threads to keep water from getting in there after you clean it.

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Originally Posted by tool_462

Algae killer is just a couple drops of liquid that will at least keep the active flow of the loop free of algae. Probably a good investment to make so it doesn't spread to areas like your blocks and lower flow areas.

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Seeing he has silver and the Primochill tubing, don't think he needs to add any PT Nuke too. :shrug:

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Originally Posted by tool_462

Algae killer is just a couple drops of liquid that will at least keep the active flow of the loop free of algae. Probably a good investment to make so it doesn't spread to areas like your blocks and lower flow areas.

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That's why I bought the silver - it was supposed to stop this kind of stuff from happening.

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Originally Posted by millertime359

That is the only place then? It could be algae as someone already stated, there is not circulation down there, so the silver isn't really going to help. If that is the only place, I would just let it be, then tear your loop down later. You could put some silicon on the threads to keep water from getting in there after you clean it.



Seeing he has silver and the Primochill tubing, don't think he needs to add any PT Nuke too. :shrug:

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Yeah maybe. Seems funny no-one has had this problem before.

If I were to re-use the same water after cleaning (i.e. the water supposedly full of silver ions) would that work?

Yea, that is the reason why i recommend it so much is I have heard of stories of guys over/under using PT Nuke and getting nasty results, but nothing bad about the use of silver. I think Naekuh has had a loop running for a couple of years on silver and distilled with no issue. :shrug:

If you can drain it and keep it containment free. I'm not certain if I would try though. Best bet is just to get some silcon and coat the threads in it. Not too thick though as you don't want it getting into the res itself. That should keep the water from getting down in there and silicon doesn't negatively effect plastics or rubber o-rings.

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Originally Posted by millertime359

Yea, that is the reason why i recommend it so much is I have heard of stories of guys over/under using PT Nuke and getting nasty results, but nothing bad about the use of silver. I think Naekuh has had a loop running for a couple of years on silver and distilled with no issue. :shrug:

If you can drain it and keep it containment free. I'm not certain if I would try though. Best bet is just to get some silcon and coat the threads in it. Not too thick though as you don't want it getting into the res itself. That should keep the water from getting down in there and silicon doesn't negatively effect plastics or rubber o-rings.

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Thanks. Would PTFE work instead of silicon?

you're sure its not just the reflection of the tubing? (it looks about the same shade on the other res.)

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Originally Posted by Chruschef

you're sure its not just the reflection of the tubing? (it looks about the same shade on the other res.)

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Heh - I wish it were. Gonna be so much hassle draining the loop and taking the reservoirs apart :'(.

e, looks like it is. Silver is a long term bullet, when your loop is "relatively" fresh like yours is, there isn't enough ion buildup to prevent growth, especially in a no flow zone like the threads.

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Originally Posted by eponymous

Thanks. Would PTFE work instead of silicon?

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edit: wasn't thinking, you talking bout thread tape. Yea it should work too, just make certain you do a nice job of wrapping it as it will be seen. :)

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Originally Posted by tool_462

It is fine on plastic. The threads are plastic and inert and alcohol wont solubilize an inert solid.

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Just don't get it on the acrylic. Alcohol + acrylic = BAD.

So guys, should I wait until I do my routine replacement of the water (this is every 6months or so right?) or should I clean this gunk off now?

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Originally Posted by eponymous

So guys, should I wait until I do my routine replacement of the water (this is every 6months or so right?) or should I clean this gunk off now?

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Unless it really bothers you and you have them time now, I would just wait.

It shouldn't spread and it shouldn't have any affect on the loop seeing it only there.

Cool. So is there anything I can use to clean the gunk off other than alcohol as this will most likely crack the acrylic?

Wouldn't warm soapy water do fine?

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Originally Posted by Brad8988

Wouldn't warm soapy water do fine?

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+1

Don't see why it wouldn't. :)

Cheers guys :)

I would clean it now. If there's algae in the res where there is no water flow, who's to say there aren't other spots in the loop that are harder to get to.

For cleaning, I would get some anti algae from a pet store and mix up some distilled water baths and let the parts soak in it then scrub with an old toothbrush. For the rad, mix it extra strong and fill it, let soak for a few days. Rinse everything with distilled and re-assemble. Stick you coil in a bottle of water to start the ionization process while cleaning. ;)

I'd cut off any light source - period - for 48 hours and see if the color changes to brown. If it does, take your case out of any natural sunlight for awhile.

Don't really see any need for adding chemicals you probably don't need.

Algae usually starts off as a film - before it get's hairy as you mentioned, and this does look like a small algae bloom from your photos.

It wouldn't hurt to take a real close look at your loop for small dark spots...it could be signs of a larger problem.

Best,

Liquid Cool

The loop is totally clean everywhere else. It's just the threaded part of the res. I'm still not 100% sure that it is algae to be honest :S It didn't form until like a couple weeks after it had been running and by then I would've thought there would be enough silver in the water :S

There's one thing I'd like to do. Is there any way I can test if this is actually algae before I take everything apart?

Those reservoirs are a b**ch to take apart and I don't want to strip the threads.

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Originally Posted by eponymous

There's one thing I'd like to do. Is there any way I can test if this is actually algae before I take everything apart?

Those reservoirs are a b**ch to take apart and I don't want to strip the threads.

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Well you could send in the tank to a lab and have it analyzed. Cant think of another way tbh..

It's just some goo man, it wont destroy your rig. There is minimal contact to water at that area, if any. So really I wouldn't worry at all :)

Just clean it off when you do some other maintenance on the loop. Unless the esthetically factor bothers you too much, then just take it apart today and wipe it off.

If there's algae anywhere else in the loop it's going to be inside the cpu block and places with sharp edges and high resistance. It's unlikely you'll see it circulating through your loop. Depending on how often you replace your hardware, I'd leave it as long as you don't see a dramatic performance drop.

The EK res' are very easy to take apart. Stripping of threads isn't a concern.

I recently had something similar in my loop, except much worse... my cpu temperature was unusually high so I looked at my tubing and there was dense solid brown/green growths along all the tube walls that looked very similar to that and lots of particles in the water... when I took apart my cpu block there were large blobs of organic goo and strings of muck were coming out of my radiator when flushing.

Really don't know what it was, I have a high concentration of anti-freeze in my water so one would think nothing could grow in it, but apparently life really can exist anywhere.

So make sure you monitor the situation closely incase it gets worse.

Yey, all clean now. I took the reservoirs apart and gave them a good clean with soapy water and a tootbrush. I used PTFE tape to seal the threads as well:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_dctFDUOxwRw/S0...0/DSC00655.JPG
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_dctFDUOxwRw/S0...0/DSC00656.JPG
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_dctFDUOxwRw/S0...0/DSC00657.JPG
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_dctFDUOxwRw/S0...0/DSC00658.JPG
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_dctFDUOxwRw/S0...0/DSC00660.JPG
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_dctFDUOxwRw/S0...0/DSC00661.JPG
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_dctFDUOxwRw/S0...0/DSC00665.JPG

Everything seems better now and I'm holding off using the windowed case side to give the water a chance to ionize with silver.

Thanks again for the advice guys! :)

Could just be colour from the tubing leaching, I know that happened to my first res that I had in this rig. All the little nooks and crannies turned pink :X.

it looks even better with tape :up:

I would also agree that it is algae. The reason it can grow, as previously stated, is that it is isolated from the main water circulation. Since the water cannot move algacide cannot get to it and the stuff thrives....well to an extent. I think the good news is that as long as you have sufficient algacide in the circulating water the algae will be contained in these small areas.

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Originally Posted by aka_GK

it looks even better with tape :up:

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Lol, that's what I was thinking :p Turned out much better than I thought.