Custom WC loop - i7 930, GTX 980, TJ11 - Oppinions/Advice

[XzzDSA]

Heyo Teckies o/

So I think I've done one of these before.. A while back, but now I'm getting to the point where I'm actually going to buy this stuff.
I just got my GTX 980 last week, and now that EKWB has released their new waterblocks, I'm looking to watercooling that, and my CPU.

This is what I'm thinking in terms of loop, ATM:

CPU Block

EK Supremacy EVO - Acetal + Nickel

GPU Block

EK FC980 GTX - Acetal + Nickel

Radiator
EK CoolStream RAD XT 480mm

Reservoir

EK Res X3 400

Pump & Pumptop

EK D5 Vario Motor

EK D5 X-TOP CSQ - Acetal

Fittings
EK CSQ Push On Fitting Black (16/10mm)

Tubing
PrimoChill PrimoFlex Advanced LRT - Crystal Clear (16/10mm)

Coolant

Feser One Cooling Fluid - UV Red

Other
EK D5 Cover Kit - Acetal + Nickel

Silverstone AP121's

 

So I have a couple of questions:

- Am I missing anything critical?

 

- What is the difference between EKWB's "CSQ" and "non-CSQ" products?

 

- Anyone have any experience with Feser One fluid?

 

- I'm not sure wether to go with BLACK fittings or SILVER fittings... My case (TJ11) has some silver accents that I really dig. (Bullets on the windows frame. Around the power buttons, Fangrill.)
 

- What do I need for supporting the resevoir in my case? (It is going to be sitting beside the motherboard.)

- General opinions on choice of components.


Thank you all in advance. You can follow along my build progress here: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/76175-xzzdsas-2014-build-plans/

Regards
    XzzDSA

[Keyboard Warrior]

You should implement a draining system in your loop. Also you are missing fans.

 

CSQ just means that they have the little ugly circles on them.

 

I'd go for black fittings but that's subjective.

 

Also I'd get a different rad such as a 60mm NexXxos rad or a HWL SR 1  rad

[Jodomcfrodo]

I don't see anything missing.

The CSQ is just the design of the block AFAIK.

I would go silver. Just my opinion.

Your res will come with mounting brackets but they need to be screwed into something.

 

Personally, I would get mayhems coolant. Seems like the most reliable brand of coolant but I've heard good things about fesser.

 

EDIT: as said above, get a draining system. I don't have one so draining my loop will be tough. Oversight on my part, will be adding one soon.

[acidprototype]

Heyo Teckies o/

So I think I've done one of these before.. A while back, but now I'm getting to the point where I'm actually going to buy this stuff.

I just got my GTX 980 last week, and now that EKWB has released their new waterblocks, I'm looking to watercooling that, and my CPU.

This is what I'm thinking in terms of loop, ATM:

CPU Block

EK Supremacy EVO - Acetal + Nickel

GPU Block

EK FC980 GTX - Acetal + Nickel

Radiator

EK CoolStream PE 480

Reservoir

EK Res X3 400

Pump & Pumptop

EK D5 Vario Motor

EK D5 X-TOP CSQ - Acetal

Fittings

EK CSQ Push On Fitting Black (16/10mm)

Tubing

PrimoChill PrimoFlex Advanced LRT - Crystal Clear (16/10mm)

Coolant

Feser One Cooling Fluid - UV Red

Other

EK D5 Cover Kit - Acetal + Nickel

Silverstone AP121's

So I have a couple of questions:

- Am I missing anything critical?

 

- What is the difference between EKWB's "CSQ" and "non-CSQ" products?

 

- Anyone have any experience with Feser One fluid?

 

- I'm not sure wether to go with BLACK fittings or SILVER fittings... My case (TJ11) has some silver accents that I really dig. (Bullets on the windows frame. Around the power buttons, Fangrill.)

 

- What do I need for supporting the resevoir in my case? (It is going to be sitting beside the motherboard.)

- General opinions on choice of components.

Thank you all in advance. You can follow along my build progress here: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/76175-xzzdsas-2014-build-plans/

Regards

    XzzDSA

Looks like you have all the parts you need but Id stay away from red coolants. It stains everything.

Silver fittings would tie in with the silver accents in the case.

You would have to drill through the motherboard panel and screw into the pump top from the other side.

The CSQ stands for Circle Square Design, so EK stuff that looks like this

http://www.ekwb.com/shop/blocks/cpu-blocks/supremacy-evo/ek-supremacy-evo-full-nickel-original-csq.html 

Non CSQ design is this

http://www.ekwb.com/shop/blocks/cpu-blocks/supremacy-evo/ek-supremacy-evo-full-nickel.html 

Ive not used feser one coolants, Id just go with distilled water and ptnuke or a silver kill coil.

Great choice with fans. Ive got those myself.

[XzzDSA]

You should implement a draining system in your loop. Also you are missing fans.

 

CSQ just means that they have the little ugly circles on them.

 

I'd go for black fittings but that's subjective.

 

Also I'd get a different rad such as a 60mm NexXxos rad or a HWL SR 1  rad

Why another rad? Could you explain why?

 

I don't see anything missing.

The CSQ is just the design of the block AFAIK.

I would go silver. Just my opinion.

Your res will come with mounting brackets but they need to be screwed into something.

 

Personally, I would get mayhems coolant. Seems like the most reliable brand of coolant but I've heard good things about fesser.

 

EDIT: as said above, get a draining system. I don't have one so draining my loop will be tough. Oversight on my part, will be adding one soon.

So I do not need the mounting bracket that I added even when I have the pumptop?

Also, I'll get a draining system sorted out.

 

Looks like you have all the parts you need but Id stay away from red coolants. It stains everything.

Silver fittings would tie in with the silver accents in the case.

You would have to drill through the motherboard panel and screw into the pump top from the other side.

The CSQ stands for Circle Square Design, so EK stuff that looks like this

http://www.ekwb.com/shop/blocks/cpu-blocks/supremacy-evo/ek-supremacy-evo-full-nickel-original-csq.html 

Non CSQ design is this

http://www.ekwb.com/shop/blocks/cpu-blocks/supremacy-evo/ek-supremacy-evo-full-nickel.html 

Ive not used feser one coolants, Id just go with distilled water and ptnuke or a silver kill coil.

Great choice with fans. Ive got those myself.

Right, I'll proberly go with a silver CPU CSQ block, and match it with silver fittings...

Is the staining really that bad? Quite alot uses coloured coolant though, so not really sure what to do If I still want some colour in the res..

I mean it's easy enough to just go with some coloured tubing but the res will just sit there with distilled water and look boring (Don't know how much I can do with red LED's.. Maybe that's the solution?

[Jodomcfrodo]

<Snip>

Oh, the pump top. Didn't see that. I think you still need the bracket but the reservoir will come with one. 

EDIT: I'm a little confused on what that bracket actually does. Is that for the pump?

[acidprototype]

Right, I'll proberly go with a silver CPU CSQ block, and match it with silver fittings...

Is the staining really that bad? Quite alot uses coloured coolant though, so not really sure what to do If I still want some colour in the res..

I mean it's easy enough to just go with some coloured tubing but the res will just sit there with distilled water and look boring (Don't know how much I can do with red LED's.. Maybe that's the solution?

Good choice with that cpu block.

Most coolants stain a little, there is no escaping that but red colored coolants for some reason stains more aggressively that other coolants. 

Red leds might be the way to go. Just make sure that the res has led holes for them.

[XzzDSA]

Good choice with that cpu block.

Most coolants stain a little, there is no escaping that but red colored coolants for some reason stains more aggressively that other coolants. 

Red leds might be the way to go. Just make sure that the res has led holes for them.

Does staining ruin components? Or can I clean it If I decide to switch coolant, sell my stuff or for some other reason need to have it cleaned, is it permanent?

[acidprototype]

It ruins tubing, res, anything clear plexi in construction. My full nickel cpu block had some in it but I had to clean it several times to get it clean. I think its gets into the rads as well.

So you can clean it but it takes alot of time and you may not be able to clean it all.

 

[XzzDSA]

It ruins tubing, res, anything clear plexi in construction. My full nickel cpu block had some in it but I had to clean it several times to get it clean. I think its gets into the rads as well.

So you can clean it but it takes alot of time and you may not be able to clean it all.

 

Okay.. So it seems like it's douable to clean metals of the colour - but not so much plexi... I can live with that, the rad is not the most expensive thing in the world and tubing I would change anyways if I am going to do a new loop.

Also, none of my blocks are going to have any plexi in it.

 

 

Thoughts on the 480 rad?

[acidprototype]

Okay.. So it seems like it's douable to clean metals of the colour - but not so much plexi... I can live with that, the rad is not the most expensive thing in the world and tubing I would change anyways if I am going to do a new loop.

Also, none of my blocks are going to have any plexi in it.

 

 

Thoughts on the 480 rad?

A 480 rad is good. Any more room for rads in the case?

[XzzDSA]

Just realised I wrote the wrong rad.
Supposed to be the "EK CoolStream RAD XT (480)"

[XzzDSA]

A 480 rad is good. Any more room for rads in the case?

The only really good spot is in the celler.

Even though it's a HUUUUGEE case (bigger than the 800D)

It doesn't really come with any rad compatebility out of the box.. I have to ghetto-mount it Linus style in the celler with some velcro I think.

Only other spot is the 120mm by the motherboard.

[acidprototype]

Is there space for a thicker rad? A alphacool 480mm monsta rad with push pull might be an awesome option if it fits. Or even going with a UT60 480mm from alphacool. 

The reason im mentioning alphacool rads is that they are all copper which perform better that the brass and copper mix of the EK rads.

[acidprototype]

The only really good spot is in the celler.

Even though it's a HUUUUGEE case (bigger than the 800D)

It doesn't really come with any rad compatebility out of the box.. I have to ghetto-mount it Linus style in the celler with some velcro I think.

Only other spot is the 120mm by the motherboard.

Is there space for a thicker rad? A alphacool 480mm monsta rad with push pull might be an awesome option if it fits. Or even going with a UT60 480mm from alphacool. 

The reason im mentioning alphacool rads is that they are all copper which perform better that the brass and copper mix of the EK rads.

[XzzDSA]

Is there space for a thicker rad? A alphacool 480mm monsta rad with push pull might be an awesome option if it fits. Or even going with a UT60 480mm from alphacool. 

The reason im mentioning alphacool rads is that they are all copper which perform better that the brass and copper mix of the EK rads.

Hmm.. I think I can fit one of those.. That's the beauty of the case.. Even with the PSU I can ALSO fit the monsta in push-pull config... Though not sure I want to spend the money  

I still want to keep it as quite as possible - so not sure about the monsta... More fans = more noise - and even in push pull.. Not sure if I can run the thing on low RPMs.. What do you think?

[acidprototype]

Hmm.. I think I can fit one of those.. That's the beauty of the case.. Even with the PSU I can ALSO fit the monsta in push-pull config... Though not sure I want to spend the money  

I still want to keep it as quite as possible - so not sure about the monsta... More fans = more noise - and even in push pull.. Not sure if I can run the thing on low RPMs.. What do you think?

Yes with more fans comes more noise, unless you run them at a lower speed, and with the right fans you can run them at low speeds and still get great temps.

With an Alphacool rad thickness of 80mm (Monsta) or 60mm (UT60) is good to have a fans on both sides to allow a good amount of air to pass through the rad while having the fans a low rpm.

With water cooling its good to go for a quiet build to. So push pull with lower speed fans is a good option on your rads.

[Brawly]

If ya want red without staining them with coolant you could get red tubing then get a red tinted res.

[XzzDSA]

If ya want red without staining them with coolant you could get red tubing then get a red tinted res.

I thought of this, but have never seen a tinten res?

I'd prefere to use EK components for the most part, any good idea how to proberly tint plexi like the type used in a tube res?

 

Maybe I can disassemble the res, and wrap it in a red tinted film?

[Brawly]

I thought of this, but have never seen a tinten res?

I'd prefere to use EK components for the most part, any good idea how to proberly tint plexi like the type used in a tube res?

 

Maybe I can disassemble the res, and wrap it in a red tinted film?

 

There are a few out there. For example(s): Click on 'red' on the left

[acidprototype]

I thought of this, but have never seen a tinten res?

I'd prefere to use EK components for the most part, any good idea how to proberly tint plexi like the type used in a tube res?

 

Maybe I can disassemble the res, and wrap it in a red tinted film?

Ive seen Primochill res that are tinted red. 

[XzzDSA]

I'd rather stick with EK tbh. And then just wrap a film around the res.

Especially because of the great availibility of EK products.

[XzzDSA]

It'll be alot eaiser for me to just go with red fluid I think...
I've been listening alot to what the "Singularity computers" guy does and says, he often talks about the watercooling setup he uses in his build, the fittings, fluids and so on.

From what he says, the biggest issue is proberly using soft tubing as it degrades, and just in general if you don't use high quality products, you tend to have more problems with leaks, de-colourization and so on.
The problem with staining is not performance wise, but only astheaticly when you choose to switch fluids - atleast that what he says. I trust the guy a fair bit, he's done this for a long time and do make some pretty nice builds.
What he then continues to say is if you ever want to switch fluids. A proper flush of all of the components should be more than sufficient to clean them out.

 

Any further thoughts?

[XzzDSA]

Bought
just about 950$

Anyways, that's the next step in my build
You can find the progress in my sig