• Welcome to TechPowerUp Forums, Guest! Please check out our forum guidelines for info related to our community.

Algae or Gunk?

Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
180 (0.03/day)
System Name Mark II
Processor i7 3930k @ 4.5ghz
Motherboard MSI Big Bang Xpower II X79
Cooling XSPC Raystorm + Koolance WBs for GPU + RX360 + EX360 + Nova Xtreme 1080 MCPP 655-B + MCP 655-B
Memory 4x8gb ddr3 1866 ripjaws z
Video Card(s) Gigabyte 7970 + gigabyte 7970 + sapphire 7970 + xfx 7970 with koolance blocks
Storage 1tb samsung F3 + 40gb Intel 320 ssd boot + 1tb WD caviar black
Display(s) 3xLG flatron E2342
Case Xigmatek Elysium
Audio Device(s) integrated ....=(
Power Supply Lepa G1600W
Software Win7 ult
So, I was making a jump from x79 to x99 platform, and while filing up the loop, I've looked at the reservoir from an angel, and saw what is forever memorialized in the attached pictures.

Now, I need your opinion, whether it is algae or just some gunk, that flushed from the rads to the reservoir over time.

Reason why I am asking, is that if it is algae, then I need to pull the rig apart asap, and "burn it with vinegar" and then lemon acid mix.
However, if it's gunk, would it be possible to wait till around school break (either march, or may, depending on the load)?


Thanks for your opinions in advices.
 

Attachments

  • 5c3194ab_20150203_012909.jpeg
    5c3194ab_20150203_012909.jpeg
    983.3 KB · Views: 339
  • c67af840_20150203_012925.jpeg
    c67af840_20150203_012925.jpeg
    1 MB · Views: 377
  • d22e74d3_20150203_012913.jpeg
    d22e74d3_20150203_012913.jpeg
    1 MB · Views: 357

eidairaman1

The Exiled Airman
Joined
Jul 2, 2007
Messages
40,435 (6.61/day)
Location
Republic of Texas (True Patriot)
System Name PCGOD
Processor AMD FX 8350@ 5.0GHz
Motherboard Asus TUF 990FX Sabertooth R2 2901 Bios
Cooling Scythe Ashura, 2×BitFenix 230mm Spectre Pro LED (Blue,Green), 2x BitFenix 140mm Spectre Pro LED
Memory 16 GB Gskill Ripjaws X 2133 (2400 OC, 10-10-12-20-20, 1T, 1.65V)
Video Card(s) AMD Radeon 290 Sapphire Vapor-X
Storage Samsung 840 Pro 256GB, WD Velociraptor 1TB
Display(s) NEC Multisync LCD 1700V (Display Port Adapter)
Case AeroCool Xpredator Evil Blue Edition
Audio Device(s) Creative Labs Sound Blaster ZxR
Power Supply Seasonic 1250 XM2 Series (XP3)
Mouse Roccat Kone XTD
Keyboard Roccat Ryos MK Pro
Software Windows 7 Pro 64
You need to take it apart and thoroughly clean it out. Any foreign matter in there can eventually plug up the loop also damage lines and pumps.
 
Joined
Apr 19, 2012
Messages
12,062 (2.77/day)
Location
Gypsyland, UK
System Name HP Omen 17
Processor i7 7700HQ
Memory 16GB 2400Mhz DDR4
Video Card(s) GTX 1060
Storage Samsung SM961 256GB + HGST 1TB
Display(s) 1080p IPS G-SYNC 75Hz
Audio Device(s) Bang & Olufsen
Power Supply 230W
Mouse Roccat Kone XTD+
Software Win 10 Pro
Strongly recommend a total cleanout and flush with biocide/pure water. I've seen lines become yellowed over time, but green means contaminant. Cleanout and use deionised water.
 
Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
180 (0.03/day)
System Name Mark II
Processor i7 3930k @ 4.5ghz
Motherboard MSI Big Bang Xpower II X79
Cooling XSPC Raystorm + Koolance WBs for GPU + RX360 + EX360 + Nova Xtreme 1080 MCPP 655-B + MCP 655-B
Memory 4x8gb ddr3 1866 ripjaws z
Video Card(s) Gigabyte 7970 + gigabyte 7970 + sapphire 7970 + xfx 7970 with koolance blocks
Storage 1tb samsung F3 + 40gb Intel 320 ssd boot + 1tb WD caviar black
Display(s) 3xLG flatron E2342
Case Xigmatek Elysium
Audio Device(s) integrated ....=(
Power Supply Lepa G1600W
Software Win7 ult
Guess it's time to take the res out.

P.S. the reason why I am not sure it's containment, is because I use only EK coolant, sooo at least in theory it should've been contaminated.
 
Joined
Apr 19, 2012
Messages
12,062 (2.77/day)
Location
Gypsyland, UK
System Name HP Omen 17
Processor i7 7700HQ
Memory 16GB 2400Mhz DDR4
Video Card(s) GTX 1060
Storage Samsung SM961 256GB + HGST 1TB
Display(s) 1080p IPS G-SYNC 75Hz
Audio Device(s) Bang & Olufsen
Power Supply 230W
Mouse Roccat Kone XTD+
Software Win 10 Pro
Guess it's time to take the res out.

P.S. the reason why I am not sure it's containment, is because I use only EK coolant, sooo at least in theory it should've been contaminated.

I've seen contaminated radiators, but more commonly tubing. A lot of tubing is left unpackaged in warehouses and stored very poorly in general.
 
Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
180 (0.03/day)
System Name Mark II
Processor i7 3930k @ 4.5ghz
Motherboard MSI Big Bang Xpower II X79
Cooling XSPC Raystorm + Koolance WBs for GPU + RX360 + EX360 + Nova Xtreme 1080 MCPP 655-B + MCP 655-B
Memory 4x8gb ddr3 1866 ripjaws z
Video Card(s) Gigabyte 7970 + gigabyte 7970 + sapphire 7970 + xfx 7970 with koolance blocks
Storage 1tb samsung F3 + 40gb Intel 320 ssd boot + 1tb WD caviar black
Display(s) 3xLG flatron E2342
Case Xigmatek Elysium
Audio Device(s) integrated ....=(
Power Supply Lepa G1600W
Software Win7 ult
I've seen contaminated radiators, but more commonly tubing. A lot of tubing is left unpackaged in warehouses and stored very poorly in general.

K, I'll take out the rest and take it apart today. For the whole tubing change, I'll still have to wait until grad. school break, because draining my rig is a VERY lengthy project (2x 360 rads, 1x1080 rad, 4 gpu blocks, one cpu block + reservoir).
 
Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
180 (0.03/day)
System Name Mark II
Processor i7 3930k @ 4.5ghz
Motherboard MSI Big Bang Xpower II X79
Cooling XSPC Raystorm + Koolance WBs for GPU + RX360 + EX360 + Nova Xtreme 1080 MCPP 655-B + MCP 655-B
Memory 4x8gb ddr3 1866 ripjaws z
Video Card(s) Gigabyte 7970 + gigabyte 7970 + sapphire 7970 + xfx 7970 with koolance blocks
Storage 1tb samsung F3 + 40gb Intel 320 ssd boot + 1tb WD caviar black
Display(s) 3xLG flatron E2342
Case Xigmatek Elysium
Audio Device(s) integrated ....=(
Power Supply Lepa G1600W
Software Win7 ult
I'll post a picture of the stuff, once I grab enough paper towels to remove the res and seal-off the tubing.
 
Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
180 (0.03/day)
System Name Mark II
Processor i7 3930k @ 4.5ghz
Motherboard MSI Big Bang Xpower II X79
Cooling XSPC Raystorm + Koolance WBs for GPU + RX360 + EX360 + Nova Xtreme 1080 MCPP 655-B + MCP 655-B
Memory 4x8gb ddr3 1866 ripjaws z
Video Card(s) Gigabyte 7970 + gigabyte 7970 + sapphire 7970 + xfx 7970 with koolance blocks
Storage 1tb samsung F3 + 40gb Intel 320 ssd boot + 1tb WD caviar black
Display(s) 3xLG flatron E2342
Case Xigmatek Elysium
Audio Device(s) integrated ....=(
Power Supply Lepa G1600W
Software Win7 ult
So, over lunch I ran home and performed a ninja-takedown on that reservoir. Took it apart. And, well....I am glad I took it apart.
I have noooo clue whether it's algae or a mix of algae and plastesiser, or just plastesizer gunk leaching over or copper dust (the texture of it is grains and solid/smooth).

Sooo I have cleaning distilled vinegar (6%). I've also went and bought denture tablets, which supposedly is good for killing bacteria.
How do I wash those pumps?
 

Attachments

  • 20150203_122658.jpg
    20150203_122658.jpg
    871.7 KB · Views: 279
  • 20150203_124037.jpg
    20150203_124037.jpg
    602.9 KB · Views: 267
  • 20150203_124047.jpg
    20150203_124047.jpg
    589.4 KB · Views: 291
  • 20150203_122714.jpg
    20150203_122714.jpg
    961 KB · Views: 300
  • 20150203_122710.jpg
    20150203_122710.jpg
    779.7 KB · Views: 291
  • 20150203_122941.jpg
    20150203_122941.jpg
    450.7 KB · Views: 263
  • 20150203_124219.jpg
    20150203_124219.jpg
    309.7 KB · Views: 269
Last edited:

eidairaman1

The Exiled Airman
Joined
Jul 2, 2007
Messages
40,435 (6.61/day)
Location
Republic of Texas (True Patriot)
System Name PCGOD
Processor AMD FX 8350@ 5.0GHz
Motherboard Asus TUF 990FX Sabertooth R2 2901 Bios
Cooling Scythe Ashura, 2×BitFenix 230mm Spectre Pro LED (Blue,Green), 2x BitFenix 140mm Spectre Pro LED
Memory 16 GB Gskill Ripjaws X 2133 (2400 OC, 10-10-12-20-20, 1T, 1.65V)
Video Card(s) AMD Radeon 290 Sapphire Vapor-X
Storage Samsung 840 Pro 256GB, WD Velociraptor 1TB
Display(s) NEC Multisync LCD 1700V (Display Port Adapter)
Case AeroCool Xpredator Evil Blue Edition
Audio Device(s) Creative Labs Sound Blaster ZxR
Power Supply Seasonic 1250 XM2 Series (XP3)
Mouse Roccat Kone XTD
Keyboard Roccat Ryos MK Pro
Software Windows 7 Pro 64
Pumps cycle bleach and vinegar mix through them for like 30 min to 1 hr and flush with water and do it again or maybe try CLR solution in water...
 
Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
180 (0.03/day)
System Name Mark II
Processor i7 3930k @ 4.5ghz
Motherboard MSI Big Bang Xpower II X79
Cooling XSPC Raystorm + Koolance WBs for GPU + RX360 + EX360 + Nova Xtreme 1080 MCPP 655-B + MCP 655-B
Memory 4x8gb ddr3 1866 ripjaws z
Video Card(s) Gigabyte 7970 + gigabyte 7970 + sapphire 7970 + xfx 7970 with koolance blocks
Storage 1tb samsung F3 + 40gb Intel 320 ssd boot + 1tb WD caviar black
Display(s) 3xLG flatron E2342
Case Xigmatek Elysium
Audio Device(s) integrated ....=(
Power Supply Lepa G1600W
Software Win7 ult
Pumps cycle bleach and vinegar mix through them for like 30 min to 1 hr and flush with water and do it again or maybe try CLR solution in water...


Well, it took me 5h to clean 2 pumps and that res. I can safely say that it wasn't algae, as the stuff was barely coming of when I used a tooth brush. Testing the res with attached pumps for leaks overnight (just filled them up with water and let them stay), as the hexa-screws that hold the acrylic front plate are all (well, almost all, there are 2 that do seal firmly) a bit loose (keep turning), because apparently I over-tightened them last time, or maybe when I was taking down the res this time (although I can't imagine that 70ish ml of water could amount to such pressure). Anyway, I have a spare for both the res and the pumps for the "black day" scenario, but so far no leaks *3 knocks on the wood*, will check tomorrow, after they sit for 24h.

Oh, and I think it was plastisizer, because of the trouble I had getting it off the pumps and the res.
 
Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
180 (0.03/day)
System Name Mark II
Processor i7 3930k @ 4.5ghz
Motherboard MSI Big Bang Xpower II X79
Cooling XSPC Raystorm + Koolance WBs for GPU + RX360 + EX360 + Nova Xtreme 1080 MCPP 655-B + MCP 655-B
Memory 4x8gb ddr3 1866 ripjaws z
Video Card(s) Gigabyte 7970 + gigabyte 7970 + sapphire 7970 + xfx 7970 with koolance blocks
Storage 1tb samsung F3 + 40gb Intel 320 ssd boot + 1tb WD caviar black
Display(s) 3xLG flatron E2342
Case Xigmatek Elysium
Audio Device(s) integrated ....=(
Power Supply Lepa G1600W
Software Win7 ult
Checked in the morning, no signs of leaks overnight. Will put the res back into the loop, and will try to run each pump separately, to make sure they work.
 
Top