Looking to put together my first water cooling setup

[dmw16]

I just had a few questions.

1) Is there anything wrong with mixing brands? Say a dangerden waterblock w/ a radiator from elsewhere?

2) What is a decent GPH for a pump? I have a pump laying around taht is small, but Im not sure the GPH and I just wanted to know before I start researching?

3) what would be better, a single pass 120mm radiator or a dual pass 80mm

Any other general info would be much apprecaited too. I am looking to keep it around $100 since I am not cooling anyhting fancy and I already have the pump. I was looking at a DangerDen Maze 4 ($35), a resivoior from xoxide ($20), and a dual pass 80mm radiator from xoxide ($27). I am hoping I can use the pump I have and Im sure there will be little odds and ends I need to get like tubing and fittings.

thanks.

EDIT: I saw that thermaltake makes the Aquarious II. $100 for a complete system, or am I missing something?

 

[RearAdmiral]

I think 120 GPH is good from what i remember. I think I got the next step up from there pump wise, I don't quite remember though. 120 GPH does stick out though, so look for that number. Try to avoid using a resevoir, they take up unnecesary space, they slow the flow rate. Research T-fittings and use that instead. I use a 240mm rad so I don't know about the radiator. Mine is way more tahn enough, I can keep my fans nice and quiet.

 

[gotensan01]

Originally posted by: dmw16
I just had a few questions.

1) Is there anything wrong with mixing brands? Say a dangerden waterblock w/ a radiator from elsewhere?

2) What is a decent GPH for a pump? I have a pump laying around taht is small, but Im not sure the GPH and I just wanted to know before I start researching?

3) what would be better, a single pass 120mm radiator or a dual pass 80mm

Any other general info would be much apprecaited too. I am looking to keep it around $100 since I am not cooling anyhting fancy and I already have the pump. I was looking at a DangerDen Maze 4 ($35), a resivoior from xoxide ($20), and a dual pass 80mm radiator from xoxide ($27). I am hoping I can use the pump I have and Im sure there will be little odds and ends I need to get like tubing and fittings.

thanks.

EDIT: I saw that thermaltake makes the Aquarious II. $100 for a complete system, or am I missing something?

1) No. If you mix copper and aluminum however, make sure you get the additive that prevents <insert word here>. Sorry, I always forget that word that describes the reaction between two metals to produce filth in water.

2) There seems to be tiers for gph for pumps. The first is around <200 and the second is around <350. I would go with a pump that has around 300gph. If you notice, the price isn't that much more when comparing something like a hydor L20 and L30. Plus you get the extra head. That is also VERY important. But if you want to use your pump, I'm sure it'd be fine.

3) I would go with single pass 120mm rad. Less pressure drop and do the math. Surface area of 120mm rad = 14,400 mm^2. For 80mm rad = 6,400 + 6,400 = 12,800 mm^2.

Seems like you are all set otherwise. Tubing is kinda expensive. Tygon is thicker so don't get it if you have to make tight bends. Then again, you don't really want tight bends

 

[dmw16]

Stupid question, but how do you fill a system w/o a resivior?

 

[gotensan01]

find out info on a t-line. It may be t line or tline. You could do that or you need a fill and bleed kit. Look at swiftech's fill and bleed kit for diagram. Res is good way to go also.

EDIT: I searched but couldn't find the thread I saw before. It explained the t-line very well.
Does anyone have a link to a description of t-line, with diagrams would be best

 

[dmw16]

I understand now. Saw a pic of a fill-tap going into a T connector.

 

[sparkyclarky]

Originally posted by: dmw16
I just had a few questions.

1) Is there anything wrong with mixing brands? Say a dangerden waterblock w/ a radiator from elsewhere?

2) What is a decent GPH for a pump? I have a pump laying around taht is small, but Im not sure the GPH and I just wanted to know before I start researching?

3) what would be better, a single pass 120mm radiator or a dual pass 80mm

Any other general info would be much apprecaited too. I am looking to keep it around $100 since I am not cooling anyhting fancy and I already have the pump. I was looking at a DangerDen Maze 4 ($35), a resivoior from xoxide ($20), and a dual pass 80mm radiator from xoxide ($27). I am hoping I can use the pump I have and Im sure there will be little odds and ends I need to get like tubing and fittings.

thanks.

EDIT: I saw that thermaltake makes the Aquarious II. $100 for a complete system, or am I missing something?

1. No problem, just don't mix metal types as you'll get corrosion
2. Mentioned by a previous poster. You want a mixture of good head and good flow rate (sounds kinky)
3. Single 120 - it's hard to get 80mm fans that will push enough air through a rad, and when they do, they tend to be loud

Oh, and the Aquarius II is no better than a good air cooling setup. Same thing with many of the prepackaged kits (obviously excluding the Dtek and DD type kits).

 

[gotensan01]

Originally posted by: sparkyclarky
Oh, and the Aquarius II is no better than a good air cooling setup. Same thing with many of the prepackaged kits (obviously excluding the Dtek and DD type kits).

Definetly true. As far as I know, the only decent ones are the swiftech ones and the koolance exos ones. However these don't really compare to the custom ones like Danger Den as sparkyclarky mentioned. Does anyone else think any other pre-built wc setups are decent?

 

[pirred908]

I have the Aquarius II. Its a joke. Don't buy it. I'm running my 2500+ XP-M @ stock speeds with idle temps around 45C. I'm definitly already in the process of building a new system.