ALGAE. ugh

[plattman02]

hey guys im about to go on my second time cleaning my loop out because of algae within about a month.
i was wondering if my uv cathodes would be producing the algae because iv put dead water and a kill coil in and te algae is still growing. i need to find out whats causing the growth first!

btw, the algae is whiting not green. and all my components are copper so im sure it cant be corrosion.

 

[amuffin]

More info please!

 

[plattman02]

What do you need to know?

 

[amuffin]

Everything! Parts, blocks, etc.!

 

[toolmaker_03]

well I have been water cooling for years and have had builds with this issue not my own but friends that have run water so here is what I would do first I would clean the system with a 50% Listerine 50% distilled water mix then I would add about 3 drops of this HTH super extended algae guard to the loop it is a copper base solution and I believe the only one HTH makes that is copper based so it won't hurt the loop components since your not having a issue with corrosion I won't bother explaining what the water wetter is for.

 

[plattman02]

Everything! Parts, blocks, etc.!

Ok my components are 2 x 560 ti in sli, and an i5 2500k intel processor. That is all thats being cooled. The loop is based off of a xspc 360 kit. I added another moola nice 360 copper radiator with yate loon fans. I also added two swiftech universal water blocks with some vram heatsinks. I have distilled water running through primoflex lrt uv tubing with some fittings and angled fittings. I also have 2 cold cathodes and the yate loon fan leds in the case.
The case before was not in direct sunlight, but my room had sunlight coming through the windows in the afternoon, so i switched the side panels so where there was a window, there isnt one anymore, and theres no way for light to get in. I did this right after my firet clean of the system which was probably about 3 weeks ago, and then i started to see algae after 1 week and i even replaced the tubing and got a kill coil. The problem is still getting worse.
I just bought a filter for free floating debris, so hopefully when i install that after this next clean, that will catch anything thqt is in my water.

Sorry for any mistakes, my ipad does that

 

[plattman02]

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/5831/project3002.jpg
http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/697/project3003.jpg
well I have been water cooling for years and have had builds with this issue not my own but friends that have run water so here is what I would do first I would clean the system with a 50% Listerine 50% distilled water mix then I would add about 3 drops of this HTH super extended algae guard to the loop it is a copper base solution and I believe the only one HTH makes that is copper based so it won't hurt the loop components since your not having a issue with corrosion I won't bother explaining what the water wetter is for.

Thanks toolmaker! This seems like very promising advice. Are you implying that i should also clean out my system? Or just flush it with this solution you suggested? Because im pretty sure i have stuff in my water blocks

 

[toolmaker_03]

well if you run the 50/50 mix in your system for a couple of hours it will kill the algae then flush and fill with distilled water, if you put 6 drops of the algae guard in for 24 hours it will continue to break down the reaming dead material left in the system so you can flush it out of the system once more and fill it with distilled water and 3 drops of the algae guard of course check the system every couple of weeks thereafter for a month or so but it should not return.

 

[plattman02]

well if you run the 50/50 mix in your system for a couple of hours it will kill the algae then flush and fill with distilled water, if you put 6 drops of the algae guard in for 24 hours it will continue to break down the reaming dead material left in the system so you can flush it out of the system once more and fill it with distilled water and 3 drops of the algae guard of course check the system every couple of weeks thereafter for a month or so but it should not return.

So no more cleaning??!!!
Do you ever clean your system?

 

[toolmaker_03]

no, I have never had to, nor have I ever needed to, break a block open for any reason. neither have I ever done so to any system I have ever worked on. but I have never had the displeasure of cleaning a system that has had dye added to it either, the dye will literally bake to the interior walls of the blocks that's really hard to clean.

 

[plattman02]

Wow im glad you posted in here haha well ill purchase the things i need to tomorrow and let you know how it all goes when i flush etc. when you flush, how much water do you use? And have you ever had an algae problem that this procedure actually worked with? Or do you just go through this process regularly without aglae present?
Oh, and can i get both of these items at, say, walmart?

 

[toolmaker_03]

maybe the algae guard and listerine at walmart

yes i have and it did work but i used antifreeze back then.

 

[plattman02]

Walmart had no hth but they had something called algicide liquid from a company called aqua chem, so i got that. Would it suffice?

 

[toolmaker_03]

No!!!, I use the HTH super extended guard because of it chemical make up the main component in it is copper so this won't hurt your loop other pool chemicals are corrosive to the computer loop system.

if you can't find it go and get some antifreeze 50/50 and dilute it to a 80/20 mix run it in the system for a week and drain it that will give you some time to find some of the HTH super extended guard otherwise stick with the antifreeze I have run it in my system for years with no problems.

 

[plattman02]

No!!!, I use the HTH super extended guard because of it chemical make up the main component in it is copper so this won't hurt your loop other pool chemicals are corrosive to the computer loop system.

haha ok! Well i also found some fish tank algaecide that was composed of a copper base...i wouild need to order hth in order to get it, i cant find it anywhere

 

[toolmaker_03]

send a pic of the ingredients so i can see what it is made of and i can tell you if it is ok or safe for a loop.

 

[Motopsychojdn]

Uv cathodes won't contribute to growth, it kills bacteria, I think you just didn't clean the loop properly last time,
Live and learn hehe, but Tools advice here is sound, go with that if you are happy using chems in your loop
Moto

 

[plattman02]

Yeah thats what im going eith. And thanks. Im still working on getting a copper based algaecide, the one i saw at walmart were tablets.

 

[plattman02]

send a pic of the ingredients so i can see what it is made of and i can tell you if it is ok or safe for a loop.

Hey so I just purchased some stuff at a local pool store called sea klear 90 day algae prevention and remover. The ingredients are:
ACTIVE INGREDIENT
Copper sulfate pentahydrate...............................11.8%
Inert (or others) ingredients................................88.2%
Total.........................................................................100%
[Copper as elemental 3.0%]

 

[plattman02]

Also toolmaker, are you saying to add the 6 drops WHILE it is being flushed with the listerine solution? Or only with distilled water after you flush the listerine out?

 

[Motopsychojdn]

No, the six drops would go into the final fill, so its in there while you are running day to day, so flush with listerine etc, then when you are ready to fill and go play games, add the drops to the water thats going to stay in there
Moto

 

[toolmaker_03]

Copper sulfate pentahydrate,

this is a acid and will be corrosive to your water loop.

copper ethanolamine complex,

this is a base and will not be corrosive to your water loop.

you can still use the copper sulfate to break down the dead algae but flush it out of your system after 24 hours
please do not leave in your system for long periods of time.

 

[plattman02]

Damnit! That was one of my two options and I went with the cheaper of the two! Haha ok thanks ill just bring it back tomorrow

 

[plattman02]

EDIT: actually nvm, it was something other than on the bottle. but isnt copper sulfate a salt??

 

[plattman02]

No, the six drops would go into the final fill, so its in there while you are running day to day, so flush with listerine etc, then when you are ready to fill and go play games, add the drops to the water thats going to stay in there
i thought i was supposed to add algaecide for 24 hours though to break the algae down before the final fill.
Moto