FrozenQ's Reservoirs... Or In-Bay Reservoirs... Hmm..

[SushiDragon]

Hello again everyone.

I want your opinions on these Reservoirs.

FrozenQ's T-Virus Reservoir
T-Virus

D5 Monsoon
Monsoon
XSPC D5
D5

XSPC DDC
DDC
Swiftech Pump Attachment for the 35X

Pump Attach

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I'm mostly concerned about aesthetics and price.

However, I am curious, are any of these reservoirs better than the other? Or is it that Reservoirs don't really affect much on the performance scales.

 

[benikens]

T-Virus is best looking res imo, i don't think they really effect performance much.

 

[SushiDragon]

I agree, but it's a bit on the pricey side. Does FrozenQ have any Black Friday sales?

 

[rubix_1011]

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the FrozenQ's...they look cool, but I got over that fast. I just picked up a Bitspower Z-multi 80 res...it's a fantastic little res. If you want a little taller, go for the larger versions. They are beautifully built and very solid.

Other than that, I'm partial to top/res's and bay/res's.

 

[SushiDragon]

I agree, they look pretty elegant. Could you give me some advice on what I could do to add some more color into it? I have a blue color scheme, but I'm transitioning into a red color scheme once I get the Asus Extreme Z Motherboard.

 

[clonazepam]

Man are those FrozenQ T-Virus Reservoirs a really difficult item to judge. At face value just sitting there I have to say I don't like them. Seeing them in a finished build can result in a completely different opinion. I don't think I could vote either way without seeing the whole build so that makes my post here kind of pointless.

I do like the bitspower z multis and the fact they come in clear or an icy red is quite nice, since you mentioned transitioning to a red theme. I bought an EK res but would have grabbed the red bitspower had I seen it first.

As for the t-virus, I guess you either love it or hate and have to see the whole system before passing final judgement.

 

[rubix_1011]

I'll admit- for around $31, I'm very impressed with the Bitspower Z-multi...very, very handsome res.

 

[Guest]

I agree, they look pretty elegant. Could you give me some advice on what I could do to add some more color into it? I have a blue color scheme, but I'm transitioning into a red color scheme once I get the Asus Extreme Z Motherboard.

The FrozenQ Mod Res is actually not that great. The pictures you see are kind of misleading. I don't have much water cooling experience but I'd take a regular cylindrical res or the drive bay res.

Also, you asked for good lighting on your res. All you do is stick a nice LED light behind it, and it does it's justice. I would never use any colored liquids, just distilled water or Pc Ice Clear Non-Conductive Coolant.

A random video showing what I'm talking about- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bsaInQiNhNA#! (skip to exactly 1 minute in and try to pause when it hits 1:01, you see the res before the lights and after)

 

[Homeboy2]

I agree, but it's a bit on the pricey side. Does FrozenQ have any Black Friday sales?

A hundred bucks for a ten inch plastic tube? No thanks.

 

[Guest]

A hundred bucks for a ten inch plastic tube? No thanks.

100% agreed. Sidewindercomputers has a 450mm (a foot and a half!) long tube marked down to the same price as the 250mm tube at the moment, both EK, both $50, or you can go to the regular 250mm's for around $40.... I think this is a nice price. If your really dying for the modded T virus res, just make it yourself, considering the pricing on them -.-

If you don't have a large case, just go for the drive bay res.

 

[SushiDragon]

I'll admit- for around $31, I'm very impressed with the Bitspower Z-multi...very, very handsome res.
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/gcarver2006/IMAG0135.jpg

Now... 250mm or 150mm.. Hmmm.

@ kllrfrk

The Corsair 600T has a good amount of spacing, so I'm not so worried about that.

 

[Homeboy2]

100% agreed. Sidewindercomputers has a 450mm (a foot and a half!) long tube marked down to the same price as the 250mm tube at the moment, both EK, both $50, or you can go to the regular 250mm's for around $40.... I think this is a nice price. If your really dying for the modded T virus res, just make it yourself, considering the pricing on them -.-

If you don't have a large case, just go for the drive bay res.

I don't see a 450 mm res but I do see a 400 bitspower for 39
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/biwataz400po.html

 

[Guest]

I don't see a 450 mm res but I do see a 400 bitspower for 39
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/biwataz400po.html

Your right I'm getting so mixed up in these numbers. I meant the EK 400mm. Basic is 40, advanced is 50

Basic- http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/ekresx2400ba.html
Advanced- http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/ekresx2400ad.html

To be honest I believe all of the brands are the same for these cylindrical res. designs with the smallest tiny speck of a difference.

And I also heard Phobya has a very nice one with black or silver nickel plating that really attracts the eye - http://www.frozencpu.com/products/13128/ex-res-275/Phobya_Balancer_250_Reservoir_-_Black_Nickel_45153.html - This 250 follows the EK's 250mm basic design, but has a nice finish for the same price.

And most importantly, MEASURE FIRST!

 

[clonazepam]

The EK advanced res has a defect across the line. The advanced bottom has an insert that screws in, then two tubes screw into that for your inlet/outlet. Well the original milling design is flawed and all of the tubes end up crooked. I've been in contact with EK support, and they checked and couldn't find any that weren't crooked, so they sent me the least crooked one they could find. That's why I'd wished I had just bought the bitspower from the beginning.

This defect wouldn't effect you if you decide to screw the anti-cyclone part into the bottom instead.

 

[Homeboy2]

The EK advanced res has a defect across the line. The advanced bottom has an insert that screws in, then two tubes screw into that for your inlet/outlet. Well the original milling design is flawed and all of the tubes end up crooked. I've been in contact with EK support, and they checked and couldn't find any that weren't crooked, so they sent me the least crooked one they could find. That's why I'd wished I had just bought the bitspower from the beginning.

This defect wouldn't effect you if you decide to screw the anti-cyclone part into the bottom instead.

does EK make anything without a defect? I was gonna buy an EK gpu block, now I'm wondering.

 

[clonazepam]

afaik thats it as of today ;-)

 

[boiler1990]

does EK make anything without a defect? I was gonna buy an EK gpu block, now I'm wondering.

Haven't had issues with my pre and post corrosion issue EK nickel blocks. I don't think anybody really knew what the cause was.

To stay on topic, the T-Virus reservoirs are just simply tubing inside a container - not really a res in my perspective. I personally like the reses attached to the pumps. The Koolance one I have for my D5 is actually quite nice looking.

 

[Guest]

Haven't had issues with my pre and post corrosion issue EK nickel blocks. I don't think anybody really knew what the cause was.

To stay on topic, the T-Virus reservoirs are just simply tubing inside a container - not really a res in my perspective. I personally like the reses attached to the pumps. The Koolance one I have for my D5 is actually quite nice looking.

Yes, the reservoirs with a pump on it are a nice way to save space or just to make life easier.

In conclusion I'd say that the T-Virus Reservoirs are a complete waste of money. Just stick an LED light behind a regular cylindrical reservoir or the one with a pump attached.

 

[clonazepam]

I personally like the reses attached to the pumps. The Koolance one I have for my D5 is actually quite nice looking.

I wanted to provide a picture of a res-attached pump in a system. I do think it looks really impressive, clean, and tidy.

 

[rubix_1011]

^I totally agree with res/tops. The only reason I went with the Z-multi was because I'm not completely sure I wanted a D5 top if I potentially test watercooling hardware. I'd like to keep things as open to swapping as possible.

But yes, if I do a build where it is simply for personal tasted, I'd choose the res/top myself; either D5 or DDC.

 

[Guest]

I'd like to get one more thought in to help you out, a very great pro for the drive bay res possibly with an attached pump is that when you want to drain your coolant, you can have a low point at the very back with a disconnect. It's a good part of this amazing Raven WC build from FrozenCPU ---> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/image/14345/cst-1239_5.jpg/cst-1239/Custom_Silverstone_RAVEN_RV02_Full_Tower_Case_w_Window_-_Liquid_Cooled_Helix_Edition.html

And here shows the outrageously easy drain port --> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/image/14345/cst-1239_13.jpg/cst-1239/Custom_Silverstone_RAVEN_RV02_Full_Tower_Case_w_Window_-_Liquid_Cooled_Helix_Edition.html

Also, this shows you the FrozenQ res Mod, but to be honest, this is the only good one I've seen.... but it looks extremely sick.

 

[rubix_1011]

^You could setup a drain like that in any loop, if you wanted.

 

[clonazepam]

If you go with a bay res, just remember to have extra slack on the tubes for when you slide it out enough to top off.

 

[Guest]

^You could setup a drain like that in any loop, if you wanted.

Well yes of course, just more of a pain if you have a pump at the bottom or something lower than where you want to drain, I'm just showing him one example

 

[rubix_1011]

Gotcha- sorry, wasn't trying to steal your thunder.