What coolant can I or should I use for a custom AIO

[ImNigel]

Just wondering if I can get away with distilled water or if I will need a specific coolant 
For context, it’s a sff build,(alphacool eisbear and alphacool nexxxos st20 hpe, which should be a full copper rad and the eisbear is a copper cold plate) will I be ok with distilled water and will I need biocide or can I go without, if distilled water won’t work what coolant can y’all recommend.

[Average Nerd]

Distilled water is often fine on its own, if you want to be safe, you can put biocide in there, but it's not strictly necessary as far as I know.

[Blasty Blosty]

I would stick to distilled water, you can use dyes if you want just make sure they are safe for loops

[jaslion]

+ a biocide is what i would recommend. Just make sure to NOT MIX METALS.

 

Else well its 10$ for 1l of clear cryofuel. Also DO NOT get opaque coolant it leaves behind residue which is bad.

[ImNigel]

Thank you all for the responses, I was hoping to just use distilled water and not have to shell out for biocide if not entirely necessary, there isn’t to many people who do custom aio loops so I wanted to make sure if I need biocide since it will be a completely sealed loop? I can confirm there is no problem with the metals both copper rad and copper cold plate so that should be fine and I will be using black tpv soft tubing so no need for dyes. 

[jaslion]

1 hour ago, ImNigel said:

Thank you all for the responses, I was hoping to just use distilled water and not have to shell out for biocide if not entirely necessary, there isn’t to many people who do custom aio loops so I wanted to make sure if I need biocide since it will be a completely sealed loop? I can confirm there is no problem with the metals both copper rad and copper cold plate so that should be fine and I will be using black tpv soft tubing so no need for dyes. 

I recommend it. There is always a good chance slime happens in pure distilled water loops even if blacked out. You'd be surprised how little a lichen slime needs to grow and that the spores for that stuff are everywhere

[Beerzerker]

4 hours ago, jaslion said:

I recommend it. There is always a good chance slime happens in pure distilled water loops even if blacked out. You'd be surprised how little a lichen slime needs to grow and that the spores for that stuff are everywhere

Agreed.

There are plenty of choices for what you'd use for a biocide that's not expensive.
For mine I use a cap full of bleach, not the splashless kind but proper (Real) bleach and it works. You can also (If you want) use chlorine tablets too, the kind you use in a pool.
For a typical watercooling setup all you'd need is about 1/8th of a tablet MAX (If that much really) and that's it.

It's easier to use the liquid stuff though and each time you want to do a flush and fill of the system fill it up, splash about a 1/2 cap's worth in and you're set.
BTW My setup is larger than most in capacity and in my case, that's why I go for a full cap instead which would be more than enough for a typical setup.
Just don't overdo it and it should be fine if you decide to try it.

Keep an eye on your setup's condition because even with that, the biocide effect it has eventually goes away and you could have some slimy stuff start growing so be sure to flush and fill it about once every 6 months minimum to avoid that.

I've been using it for over a decade and have had no problems from using it, from the pump to the blocks and all else it stays clean, no corrosion of the blocks internally and to this day all I have is still in good working order.
 

[jaslion]

2 hours ago, Beerzerker said:

Keep an eye on your setup's condition because even with that, the biocide effect it has eventually goes away and you could have some slimy stuff start growing so be sure to flush and fill it about once every 6 months minimum to avoid that.

I have just been doing the top ups every year which include a small dose of biocide and it works well. The loop that is about to be retired (vega 56 system) has been going for 6 years now no sweat.

 

It's basically all about paying attention and if stuff sludges up you are at least aware it's happening and know what to do.

 

 

[Beerzerker]

2 hours ago, jaslion said:

I have just been doing the top ups every year which include a small dose of biocide and it works well. The loop that is about to be retired (vega 56 system) has been going for 6 years now no sweat.

 

It's basically all about paying attention and if stuff sludges up you are at least aware it's happening and know what to do.

 

 

That's true, if the sludge is there just deal and be done with it.
I suggested a flush and fill because that works but if it's not required I'd do as you've been doing with yours - Easier to do.

If possible I'd also suggest plumbing in a drain valve to make the process of draining/flushing it a snap like I did with mine.

[ImNigel]

4 hours ago, Beerzerker said:

Agreed.

There are plenty of choices for what you'd use for a biocide that's not expensive.
For mine I use a cap full of bleach, not the splashless kind but proper (Real) bleach and it works. You can also (If you want) use chlorine tablets too, the kind you use in a pool.
For a typical watercooling setup all you'd need is about 1/8th of a tablet MAX (If that much really) and that's it.

It's easier to use the liquid stuff though and each time you want to do a flush and fill of the system fill it up, splash about a 1/2 cap's worth in and you're set.
BTW My setup is larger than most in capacity and in my case, that's why I go for a full cap instead which would be more than enough for a typical setup.
Just don't overdo it and it should be fine if you decide to try it.

Keep an eye on your setup's condition because even with that, the biocide effect it has eventually goes away and you could have some slimy stuff start growing so be sure to flush and fill it about once every 6 months minimum to avoid that.

I've been using it for over a decade and have had no problems from using it, from the pump to the blocks and all else it stays clean, no corrosion of the blocks internally and to this day all I have is still in good working order.
 

Would it be easier to just go with alphacool coolant or mayhem coolant something clear?(or another brand if you have any recommendations I’m all ears) Because the less I have to check the coolant the better it will be a tight build as it is and taking it apart 6 months I can’t guarantee I will remember to do lol

I know it’ll most likely be a bit more then just distilled water, but if it means I don’t have to check it as often then I would be ok with it.

[ImNigel]

1 minute ago, Beerzerker said:

That's true, if the sludge is there just deal and be done with it.
I suggested a flush and fill because that works but if it's not required I'd do as you've been doing with yours - Easier to do.

If possible I'd also suggest plumbing in a drain valve to make the process of draining/flushing it a snap like I did with mine.

I do not have the space to put in a drain valve, it will go from eisbear cpu block/pump straight to rad , if it needs flushed everything will need to be removed which can be done just time consuming.

[Beerzerker]

6 hours ago, ImNigel said:

Would it be easier to just go with alphacool coolant or mayhem coolant something clear?(or another brand if you have any recommendations I’m all ears) Because the less I have to check the coolant the better it will be a tight build as it is and taking it apart 6 months I can’t guarantee I will remember to do lol

I know it’ll most likely be a bit more then just distilled water, but if it means I don’t have to check it as often then I would be ok with it.

If it's going to be a sealed system you can probrably splash a bit in and not really worry about it that often.
Only time you'd need worry about it is when you check coolant levels of the system. Top it off, maybe a few drops of biocide and that's about it.

As for anything else aside from distilled water I can't advise you since I've only ever ran water in mine period.

Too bad about the limited space concerning the drain valve, that would make it alot easier to do things if you really needed to.

[ImNigel]

3 hours ago, Beerzerker said:

If it's going to be a sealed system you can probrably splash a bit in and not really worry about it that often.
Only time you'd need worry about it is when you check coolant levels of the system. Top it off, maybe a few drops of biocide and that's about it.

As for anything else aside from distilled water I can't advise you since I've only ever ran water in mine period.

Too bad about the limited space concerning the drain valve, that would make it alot easier to do things if you really needed to.

It will have a quick disconnect in-line on one of the tubes, it is really a tight build, but thank you for all the advice I appreciate it

[ImNigel]

3 hours ago, Beerzerker said:

If it's going to be a sealed system you can probrably splash a bit in and not really worry about it that often.
Only time you'd need worry about it is when you check coolant levels of the system. Top it off, maybe a few drops of biocide and that's about it.

As for anything else aside from distilled water I can't advise you since I've only ever ran water in mine period.

Too bad about the limited space concerning the drain valve, that would make it alot easier to do things if you really needed to.

What brand biocide do you recommend, is primochill liquid utopia good or is it over priced?

[thrasher_565]

biocide is needed. even if you do everything by the book things can happen.

with this block i did use a premix and distleled water but do to problems with the loop and didn't want to thow out the new mix we reused it... bad idea...

 

on the other hand cpus blocks makes good filters...

 

 

 

Edited March 14 by thrasher_565