Algae everywhere

[madmat]

I just took a good look at my Exos and my god, it looks like a science experiment.
I've got some form of hair algae growing in both the reservoir and the waterblock so I need to know, is there a product that I can add to my system to get rid of the offending growth?
I'm running the supplied Koolance coolant so I had figured the ethanol in it would have prevented the growth but I guess I was wrong.:grumble:
Any help would be appreciated

[Mt_Goat]

A little lime a and Miracle gro will do wonder's :D

I couldn't resist! ;)

[madmat]

Thanks. I'll keep it mind. :P

[profdlp]

Check with a pet store. I used to be a big tropical fish nut (before I had to move every couple of years) and I know there are products available to kill algae. Since they're designed to not also kill the fish, they should be safe in your system.

[madmat]

I considered algae destroyer but I am not sure how it'll react to the aluminum heat exchanger.
I'm an ex-aquarist too so I had thought of that, I'm just afraid of chemical reactions.

[muddocktor]

I would empty out all the water in it right now and replace it with a mix of water and bleach, which will kill the hell out of that algae. Let it run like that for a little while and then flush the system well with water and check and see if the green crap is gone. If it is, then replace it with distilled or R.O. water and some water wetter. My watercooled dually has been going for 1 1/2 years with water wetter and distilled with no algae growth.

[madmat]

I'll try that if I can't avoid it but I don't know how my pumps will like the bleach.
I'm running distilled water mixed with Koolance coolant so I never expected a growth of any sort. I am not sure where I can get water wetter at.

[Geeky1]

Algae destroyer will kill the algae, but like you guys said, I don't know what it'll do to the aluminum (I'm not an ex-aquarist; just an aquarist :))

Bleach will work as well, as that's what I use to clean my tanks.

[TheSmJ]

When I was planning on going watercooling, I was going to use denatured alchohol (rubbing alchohol) as my bedroom (in the basment) tends to grow brown mold in anything holding water. The alchohol should run cooler, too.


@Geeky1:

You use cleaning solvents in your aquarium outside of what's "Fish approved"? Shame on you!

[madmat]

Yeah i was going to say don't use bleach on a tank, it soaks into the sealent, use white vinegar it kills algea and cleand great and is fishy safe.

[Geeky1]

I've always been told to use bleach. Never had a problem with it getting into the silicon, for two reasons:

1. It's diluted to the point where it shouldn't be a problem
2. The tank is both soaked in and rinsed out with HOT (~140*F) water afterwards; by the time I'm done with it, there's no bleach smell.

[bothered]

But all his fish have blonde hair!

[TheSmJ]

BTW madmatt, I'd flush out/clean the tubes/rez/waterblocks out really, really well, along with using something to keep the algae at bay. That stuff would just become a clog hazzard.

[Enverex]

Napalm. Works wonders.

NS

[danball1976]

NightShade737 had this to say
Napalm. Works wonders.

NS

Heh, jellied gasoline, very toxic, works well at clearing foilage among other things;D

[Hawk]

Take a little bowl of water and put a couple of sprays of tilex in it and then ciculate it through the system and watch the algae disappear. After it's gone use clean water to flush it out. The diluted tilex will not hurt any of components. Another product you can use that is for removing algae is monosodium hydrocloride. It's the same thing that makes laundry detergent hot when you put some in your hand and wet it. You can find it in half gallon paper milklike cartons at the hardware store. Mix a 1/2 teaspoon in a small bowl of water and repeat the flushing process. It will not harm metals, plastics or plants. It works very well for removing mildew and algae from outside of homes and rooftops, without damaging the plantlife or water tables also. :cool:

[madmat]

Thanks for the info, I think I'lll have to go get some Tilex today.

[Hawk]

No prob, Glad I could help madmat. BTW, Love that avi. Stick-em up!

[GnomeWizardd]

I was about to come in here and say " send Hawk a PM cause he knows all this " LOL Guess you found it before me!

@Hawk Do i have to ask you to PLEASE remove that av again! ( me and hawk get into the Buffalo vs dallas convos at work all the time ;D )

[Hawk]

Gnome, Nahh, The cowboys cooked buffalo for dinner around the campfire this yr.

[TheLostSwede]

I agree with mud here. Empty it all and run bleech through it for some time. Then use distilled water and Zerex Super Racing coolant. 90%/10% mix.

[madmat]

I'm going to try taking some of the coolant out and adding some Tilex and see what happens then, from there I might flush it with bleach but as it's an Exos system it's a real pain in the neck to drain it due to the nature of the way the system is setup so I'm not going to do anything until my gpu block gets here because I'm adding a drain fitting to the system when I drain it to install the gpu block.
Thanks everyone for all your input I really appreciate it. You're a great bunch of guys.

[Geeky1]

I'd suggest disassembling the system entirely when you get a chance, and flushing the radiator and waterblocks with some higher pressure/velocity water (garden hose)

[madmat]

I really want to avoid pulling my CPU block if I can as the last time I removed a sink (I hadn't got my waterblock when I first built the system as it was back ordered so I used an aircooler to get the system up and running initially) from my CPU it pulled the CPU out of the socket with it and bent 2 entire rows of pins in the process which was a complete bummer straightening out as a couple were almost laid over flat.
If I can't get the algae to disolve by any other means then I'll end up doing it but I'm kind of concerned that I'll end up killing my CPU if it gets yanked again.

[Straight_Man]

Um, also pool clorine works, as well as bleach, if you do not put Antifreeze type coolant in it at same time. you could flush half pool chlorine and half water through it, then pump it out by adding water to open tank as you go (if need be, make a bucket set on top of case a GRAVITY tank to help with inflow into tank, but put a small shutoof valve on end of hose in tank\resevoir end (comnputr water cooling resevoir). USE the pump if you do not want to disassemble, and drain just the resevoir than flush with clear water to remove excess residue. If real bad, replacing hoses might be easier than pulling cooling blocks. Algaecide can help also if SMALL amounts are used (pool algae killer, three-in-one, lees than an ounce per gallon so buy smallest container you can find-- if this is an aquarium mod, forget this above amount, just slightly add a teaspoon per 10 gallons algaecide).

Nice thing is, what you add to pools can be added to water cooling systems because the plumbing for pools is mostly plastic also. The thing to watch with auto coolant in clear hose water cooling systems is hose deterioration, car hoses are not mostly vinyl-- they also use a substance high in carbon, aka partially a rubbery content added to mix.

John.

[Geeky1]

There's a trick to taking the P4 heatsinks off without taking the chip with it (I've done that myself several times, so I know all about it...)

First, start up the computer, and heat up the CPU (run F@H for at least 1/2 an hour). This will make the thermal compound gooey and the heatsink/waterblock will come off more easily. To heat yours up to the point where it makes a difference (>100*F), you'll probably have to disconnect the fans on your radiator or something.

Regardless, once the the CPU is heated up, and the heatsink/waterblock is as well, shut the system down, and immediately unclip the heatsink/waterblock. DO NOT PULL ON IT. gently twist it until it loosens up a bit, then continue twisting it, but rock the heatsink/waterblock as well.

You'll feel it loosen up completely, and you'll be able to pull it off without a problem.

[Straight_Man]

Um, I take the foam off first before putting Ceramique on my P4 heatsink builds. 91% Isoprophyl Alchohol removes and leaves the nice metal sublayer that is hyper smooth on the heatsink bottom. Essentially, the vehicle in the heatsink compound and the foam chemically react, forming a nice glue which can be heat liquified as Geeky1 said or simply eliminated in toto by removing the foam first chemically. Your choice, my heatsinks are NOT glued on at all, they simply are clipped on. Arctic Silver was WORSE in this resepect than Ceramique, if you think maybe what I said does not relate to your problem. Heatsink compund REPLACES foam as pad\filler of minor scratches, etc and conducts heat better with NO foam pad. NO heatsink goop, use pad, with thin layer of heatsink goop, use NO pad.

John.

[madmat]

There wasn't any foam or pad or glue, it was just good old AS3.
I'll try the method you suggested Geeky1, Running 3 instances of F@H for a little while get's my chip up to 108 degrees F so I think it should loosen the hold well enough.
Thanks for the tip.

[Geeky1]

np... I've ripped my 2.4 out of my laptop twice now... the first time damn near scared the crap out of me. The second time it was just plain funny.

[profdlp]

Geeky1 had this to say
...First, start up the computer, and heat up the CPU (run F@H for at least 1/2 an hour)...
Good man! I think you've given us an idea for our next Team 93 recruiting drive. :thumbsup: :fold:


Geeky1 had this to say
np... I've ripped my 2.4 out of my laptop twice now... the first time damn near scared the crap out of me. The second time it was just plain funny.
You seem to adapt to stress much better than I do. What's your secret? :D

[madmat]

Yeah I think I'd really and truly need to change my shorts after ripping my P4 out of it's socket a second time.

[Geeky1]

Uh, the fact that if I break it, I have a good justification for an upgrade? ;) :D

[madmat]

If I break mine I'm without a computer for god knows how long as I can't afford an upgrade let alone a replacement.

[Geeky1]

right now, I don't have the money for either one, either. I spent everything I earned this summer on computer parts (normally it lasts me an entire year). However, I've got 4 computers of my own, plus 5 of my parents, plus enough parts to replace just about anything that I break in one of mine. :D

[madmat]

Must be nice, I've got this one and that's it so I'm stuck.

[Straight_Man]

Ok, will remember to use Ceramique mostly. Most HS that come stock Retail use pads on underside for those who have angular depth perception issues and tend to put uneven pressure on HS when holding it down while locking it on-- THAT pad, though I believe you when you say NO pad. I have done that exactly once, used very much less compund the next itme,no glue-on (um, NOT the Arctic Silver Three two-part ADHESIVE (they make Alumina Adhesive (with Epoxy bonder) and Acrtic Silver Adhesive with an AS3 base and epoxies), I hope-- that is for aux HS only wehre you do NOT want it to come off). The only single time I "glued" a CPU on with too much compound, I did what Geeky said to do.

John.

[keto]

There were so many sub clauses and brackets there I got lost and found myself in Wyoming looking for a hot meal.

Just kidding John, I'm usually the one using so many brackets.

[polarys425]

Geeky1 had this to say
right now, I don't have the money for either one, either. I spent everything I earned this summer on computer parts (normally it lasts me an entire year). However, I've got 4 computers of my own, plus 5 of my parents, plus enough parts to replace just about anything that I break in one of mine. :D

sounds like what i have here....6 of mine, 1 thats hers, 1 for the kid, and three laptops. not to mention about 6-7 spare mobos, five more AthlonXP's in the desk drawer. cd writers, cd-roms, and even spare dvd-writers and so on.

its a sickness i tell ya.

[madmat]

The problem is that I give away my extras.
I gave my sister my last system, sold my shuttle due to becoming unemployed and I've given my spare ram, drive. PSU's...ect, ect, ect away.

[Geeky1]

Ah, well that's why. I don't get rid of the extra stuff. I have _every_ component I've ever bought for my computers that's still functional. EVERY single one.

[madmat]

If I tried that I'd end up feeling guilty about not sharing the wealth, I figure if I can help someone out by selling them (cheap) or giving them stuff I don't need I'll just add to my OC kahrma and mayby the patron saint of stressed silicon will smile my way when I abuse my chips.
I've sold good motherboards, burners, cases with PSU's (quality ones at that), video cards, burners and more for $10-$20 each to friends just to help them get their rigs going again.
It's stuff I'll never use or need due to the fact that it's slower or not compatible (socket A stuff when I have a P4 now) with what I run and I am one that will hold out until I can have what I need/want rather than step back to what I just traded up from.
I mean if I buy a 480watt PSU because my 300Watt no longer can power all my goodies I'll pass the 300watt along because if I blow up my 480watt I obviously won't be able to power my rig with the 300watt either if you know what I mean.

[EyesOnly]

Lots of off-topic posts there. How's your rig. That algea gone yet?

[Geeky1]

EyesOnly... give it a few more months... you'll get used to the fact that just about every other post here is off topic soon enough ;) :D

[madmat]

I haven't gotten the waterblock for my GPU yet, the algea's still not bad at this point and as I haven't had my rig running 24/7 thanks to problems with it the algae's not getting as much heat to speed growth.

[EyesOnly]

Get used to :topic:

EyesOnly shakes his head in dispair :)

Madmat i hope you'll get everything sorted out. As someone who's considering watercooling i'm keeping a good eye on how others are doing.

[madmat]

Well, don't let this worry you. I am not sure what caused this but I think it's from a used waterblock I had "donated" to me to build a TEC chiller on the rear of my system that was the culprit.
As far as wandering conversations go, I guess that's a way to keep from having an explosion of odd topics. :)

[EyesOnly]

Well only time will tell how much trouble i get. I guess your right about the topics to since some things are better kept in existing threads to avoid clutter.