Expert help needed on WC System & Flow Pattern

[mikel310]

I need some advice on my final selection of parts on my water cooling setup. I am new to WC, but not to system building. I have read and reviewed everything on this site as well as else ware, so I do have a general idea what I am getting into but I am still uncertain about best componits.
My main objective is to get the Max cooling possible, while keeping it as quiet as possible and Performance is more important to me over any price . NOTE, it is possible that I may go dual video cards in the future and will be over clocking.My system will have the following, (I have all the System components except for Video card)

Please review the following and Please answer the following questions. Any input on which way to go will help and much appreciated.

QX9650 Quadcore Extreme Cpu
Asus Rampage Extreme MB Intel Extreme
Super Talent pc2000, (4 gigs)
HX 1000W Power supply
CoolerMaster Cosmos-S pc case
SCSI HD’s & Controllers w/SATA Backup
Either an ATI 4800 or a Nividia GTX280 (have not purchased yet)

I am looking at the following WC components. I still open to change

Pump
MCP355 DC2 or
Pump DD12V-D5
(I would like to go with the DC2 but am concerned with the reliability issues)

Radiator
TFC X-Changer 360 or
Black Ice GTX 360 or
Thermochill PA120.3
Black Ice GTX 120 (Second Rad)
(I am leaning towards the TFC X-Changer 360 because of the lower fin density & higher air flow, but I realize I might have to mod the case to get it to fit in the Cosmos-S case) But overall performance is the most important to me. Also which model is the Best in the Black Ice series?? Suggestions???
Fans
Sanyo Denki San Ace 1011

CPU Water Block
Fuzion V2
Apogee GTX
EK Supreme

Replace Asus Rampage NB waterblock for a Swiftech MCW-NBMAX)
(Would like to go with the BP NB block, but understand that it’s not available yet)

GPU block is undecided
Reservoir is undecided (looking at Bay mounted with level & temp sensors)
FLOW Meter w/Electronics (both have 3/8 fittings)
Swissflow SF800 Hi Flow Meter (0.5 to 20 Lpm) http://www.swissflow.com/en/SF800 or
Aqua vision 2000 Mod #46500-164-4F16,5 (2 to 35 Lpm) Http://www.remag.ch/vision.php?language=4&sub=1&tab=2
Tubing is undecided (Looking at 7/16 because it's easier to maneuver & twist and has close to the same flow as the ½ tubing.

Here are the questions I need answered
Which is the best of the Rads above? If black ice, which model??
(Would like to keep a Balance between Noise & Performance with a lean toward Performance

1 Is there some way to build in a redundant pump system using the MCP355 DC2 and DD12V-D5 or some other pump in which one pump would sit idle unless main pump fails and would automatically come on line without causing flow restrictions.
2 Which would be the best CPU block & Rad for this circuit (Using which flow pattern)
3 Which GPU blocks should I consider for this system
4 Is the BP NB block available yet for the Rampage Extreme MB
5 Which are the following flow patterns would be best.
(The reason I am using the single rad after the pump & before the blocks is to further cool the systems & to help remove any heat dump by the pump)

[YMAA]

Good motto, but doesn't really help too much RRR

To KISS, you use whatever arrangement calls for the shortest lengths of tubing to and from each part. The only hard and fast rule of watercooling are that the pump has to come directly after the reservoir or T-line so that it sucks water from it and the pump never runs dry. I'd avoid using y-splitters and distribution bars and such because they can sometimes mess with your flow rate (the pump gets confused ). I prefer everything to be in series. The northbridge doesn't need much cooling at all. To be honest air is fine, I wouldn't recommend putting the NB on water since it often just adds tubing you don't need and the gains aren't there.

res > pump > CPU > Rad 1 > GPU > Rad 2 > res ...

Some people like to go from the pump to a radiator and then to the CPU block to cool the water before it gets heated up, others (often with restrictive blocks like the Supreme) will go from pump to CPU to maximize the head pressure because those restrictive blocks benefit from that.

The Black Ice GTX series are good radiators, but to perform at their best they need high-speed fans. Thermochills are great because they work great with low-speed fans, though they don't scale well when you add faster ones. I'd go with the Thermochills personally, tried and tested over many years and nobody's really improved on them while they've been out. Fessers *sometimes* outperform them, but they're more expensive.

[Boogerlad]

don't split the flow up. Just make one follow another. Loop order doesn't really matter. Just keep the res before the pump and tubing route as simple/short as possible. You don't need uber expensive rads. You just need to get 2 swiftech mcr 320 rads. The ddc death thing... Its just a couple of unlucky people. Most people are happy with their ddcs. I'd reccomend a ddc 3.2 from petras and a xspc res/top. Also, for the waterblock, the ek surpreme, the d-tek fuzion v2 and the apogee gtz are pretty close to each other in performance. Just choose the one that looks nicest to you. For gpu waterblock, just pick up a mcw 60 v2. hoped this helps.

[aspire.comptech]

ROFL at how you didn't put up the most obvious loop order as one of the pics.

That single 120 rad is probably not going to help you any. Just stick with either the feser 360 or pa120.3 and you should be fine.

[mikel310]

IMO, the best way to do most anything is the mantra we attepmt to adhere to in the construction business....

The K.I.S.S. method:

Keep
It
Simple
Stupid

FYI, Not calling anyone stupid, it's just how the saying goes...

The problem with that saying is it depends on who is doing the K.i.S.S.ing. Are you referring to the K.I.S.S from an engineers point of view??
Or a K.I.S.S of poorly educated back wood person??

So your statement does not help me much cause I don't how to K.I.S.S in this situration. So please clarify what it is I supposed to do to learn how to K.I.S.S correctly.

[aspire.comptech]

Connect one block to the other, none of this distribution bars or Y fitting b.s.

[fox3]

So please clarify what it is I supposed to do to learn how to K.I.S.S correctly.

Keep It Short & Simple
HTH

[alacheesu]

1. Lots of people use 2 pumps in series for redundancy. I'm not sure what benefit the system you propose would have, only added complexity.
2. All the blocks you listed are good. Read some reviews if you're really worried, or wait for martin to finish his CPU-block round-up.
3. There isn't too much talk about GPU-block performance. They all drop the temps by A LOT compared to stock. It seems most people choose by looks, features (if they're single slot, good for SLI/Crossfire, etc) or if they can be used on your next card (full-cover or not) instead.
4. No idea
5. None of them :P If you split like that the water will choose the path of least resistance, meaning one path will see more flow than the other. Don't worry about the water heating up from block to block as it's only by a marginal amount (I think Martin measured 0.2C or so on an OC'ed E6600).

[Eddie3dfx]

From block to block, as everyone else stated.

[T_Flight]

Nobody has commented on the fnas, but those are the best choice. The problem is good luck finding them...they are unobtanium. If I could find some, they'd be bough ina heatbeat for my Hw Labs BIXGT360. I'd also buy extras.

If your after high performance the fesser or Black Ice show in tests to be the highest performing. You need strong fans to do that. The high performance rads with high performance fans will always outpoerform the rads designed for low speed fans. The low speed fanned rads are designed for quiet, where the high speed fanned rads are designed for performance.

You can geta performance rad, run strong fans and use a controller to dial them back when you want to quiet them down when your are not heaviliy loading the system.

The San Aces are the best all around fan. In the stickies they are called "The King of The Hill". If you can find them they will cost you 25-30 dollars a piece. If you can find them, do NOT wait. They won't last a day, and won't last a minute if I see them.

[Boogerlad]

if you want complete silence though, you could build one of those fancy ion fans here: http://inventgeek.com/Projects/IonCooler3/Overview.aspx