Why is Algae in your loop bad?

[omfgitscrazy]

So everybody says that algae is bad for your cooling loop, but I've never been given an actual reason why.
Also, I thought that not all algae was bad?

In relation to this I am a HS student looking into Bio luminescent Algae as a neat lighting source for a loop.
it is just a thought, and i am mainly here for the info about the algae having negative effects in loops.

[W-L]

1 minute ago, omfgitscrazy said:

So everybody says that algae is bad for your cooling loop, but I've never been given an actual reason why.
Also, I thought that not all algae was bad?

In relation to this I am a HS student looking into Bio luminescent Algae as a neat lighting source for a loop.
it is just a thought, and i am mainly here for the info about the algae having negative effects in loops.

It basically can clog your loop and hampers cooling potential by having a film coating your waterblocks and surfaces. If serve enough it can cause issues with the pump and blocks. 

[thorsong]

It will clog up the heat sink that the coolant is flowing through, like the finned cold plate for the CPU. It will clog and you will overheat.

[omfgitscrazy]

Ok, makes sense, so would it also cause corrosion?

How much of a temperature issue are we talking?

 

 

[kelvinhall05]

Just now, omfgitscrazy said:

ok, makes sense, so would it also cause corrosion?

 

No....

It would clog up your loop.

[W-L]

1 minute ago, omfgitscrazy said:

ok, makes sense, so would it also cause corrosion?

Usually no since it's just bacterial growth unless it's something that can consume or damage the metal in the loop. 

[omfgitscrazy]

So, as it would clog my loop, would it be possible to control the growth of the algae in the system, but still allows the algae to grow and die at the same rate, ultimately keeping the algae in your system from building up too much and causing a clog?

[Thinkfreely]

9 minutes ago, omfgitscrazy said:

In relation to this I am a HS student looking into Bio luminescent Algae as a neat lighting source for a loop.
it is just a thought, and i am mainly here for the info about the algae having negative effects in loops.

That would be a fascinating build idea! Maybe with a mineral build somehow, like the one Luke did that was fishtank themed? 

[omfgitscrazy]

Just now, Thinkfreely said:

That would be a fascinating build idea! Maybe with a mineral build somehow, like the one Luke did that was fishtank themed? 

Ye, that's kind of what inspired this, but ...

 

1 minute ago, omfgitscrazy said:

So, as it would clog my loop, would it be possible to control the growth of the algae in the system, but still allows the algae to grow and die at the same rate, ultimately keeping the algae in your system from building up too much and causing a clog?

 

[Mira Yurizaki]

1 minute ago, omfgitscrazy said:

So, as it would clog my loop, would it be possible to control the growth of the algae in the system, but still allows the algae to grow and die at the same rate, ultimately keeping the algae in your system from building up too much and causing a clog?

Possibly, but I would imagine this would require careful monitoring of the environment in the loop to maintain optimal conditions. Especially considering that the temperature of the water is constantly changing.

[omfgitscrazy]

Just now, M.Yurizaki said:

Possibly, but I would imagine this would require careful monitoring of the environment in the loop to maintain optimal conditions. Especially considering that the temperature of the water is constantly changing.

Ye, that's kind of what i had figured. I think it will probably require a lot of testing. i would have to probably test the growth rate and how it is affected by temperature. if it isn't a big difference, it may be possible

[W-L]

Just now, omfgitscrazy said:

Ye, that's kind of what i had figured. I think it will probably require a lot of testing. i would have to probably test the growth rate and how it is affected by temperature. if it isn't a big difference, it may be possible

As to answer your question to a bioluminescent glow effect, there are dyes and UV effect fluids which would alleviate the problem of having bacteria from clogging the loop. 

[omfgitscrazy]

1 minute ago, W-L said:

As to answer your question to a bioluminescent glow effect, there are dyes and UV effect fluids which would alleviate the problem of having bacteria from clogging the loop. 

ye, but some of those start to fade, and they're usually consistent throughout the loop, this would be more random, and would hopefully cause an effect like this 

 

[Enderman]

You do not want living stuff inside a computer watercooling loop.

 

Not only does it look disgusting, clog your waterblocks, and contaminate the fluid with biomatter, but it probably also eats away at the nickel plating and other metals of the loop by increasing the pH level of the fluid.

 

If you want it to glow, use UV fluid and UV lighting, or the thermaltake LED fittings.

[W-L]

Just now, omfgitscrazy said:

ye, but some of those start to fade, and they're usually consistent throughout the loop, this would be more random, and would hopefully cause an effect like this 

Most are pretty good thsese days in terms of longevity but it would be harder to get a fluidity type look where it would glow in certain areas. You might be able to get a similar look with UV dye with Mayhems Auroa. 

[PrimeSonic]

Assuming the algae survives the constantly changing levels of heat, it's certainly going to impact cooling performance over time.

If you really want lighting in the case, there's better ways to do it than to introduce living organisms into the loop.

 

[For Science!]

2 hours ago, omfgitscrazy said:

-snip-

I hope you don't mean to grow P. fusiformis, that would be an insta-clog on your CPU block. A supremacy block I believe has micro fins that are 250 micrometers spaced apart. A standard P. fusiformis is about 1000 x 150 x 350 microns, so has no chance of squeezing past of the CPU block unless if it aligns perfectly down the channels, meaning:

 

1. The cells will die of shear stress

2. The CPU block will clog

3. Bad day for your pump and temps 

[omfgitscrazy]

Thanks everyone for the help and feedback, it is really appreciated.