Algae Problem

Sir SpankalotUK

Sir SpankalotUK

Sir SpankalotUK

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Joined
14 Dec 2011
Posts
374
Whilst installing some new fans to my setup the weekend, I have noticed what appears to be algae starting to coat the pipes, most evident on the underside of the tubing, but the blocks look largely unaffected. Never had algae before in my loop, but since I replaced it and put battery water (it was new) and EK blue UV additive that comes with the EK HF kit, I'm somewhat surprised to be facing the issue tbh.

I'm a little bit lost as to course of action, I have thought about trying to introduce a very small amount of bleach (a couple of ml's) to pervent further build up whilst I wait for a solution to be delivered. Other option was UV light, but that still something I would need to buy in.

Is there anything that can be done except just striping and cleaning the entire system, replacing the tubing and going with a premix like mayhems?
 
just give it a clean otherwise its not gona cool properly and then re do you coolant, then will be good to go. bleach will be fine to clean it but dont just add it to the mix when its running.
 
I also had a problem like this recently. I emptied the loop, cleaned what i could then reassembled and added a large silver coil to the loop(in the res). Since then I have had no problems and I dont see the need for any other addivtives maybe some dye if you like colour but I prefer the colour coming from the tubing.
 
I used swiftech hydrx coolant mixed with distilled water in my watercooling kit for 4-5 years without ever changing it. Took it apart recently and not a single sign of any growth. The copper looks good
as new.

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/925/48441737.png

If your changing coolant I definitely recommend it although I have no experience using anything else. Helped me get my e8400 to 4.8ghz with amazingly very low temps.
 
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Thanks for the advice guys, its just I am worried that suddenly killing the algae might cause it to clog the EK cpu block.

Gonna try some baby bottle cleaning fluid and introduce that to the mix already in the loop and see what happens. Still at a loss as to where its come from, unless I got a bad batch of either the battery water or EK additive.
 
The EK additive bottle in HF kits isnt an anti algae thing anyway, its just coolant dye isnt it?
The Pre Mix has additives against algae the little bottles just a dye, could be wrong as cant find mine anywhere on the shelf at the min.
 
i wouldnt just add stuff to it yet, would be pointless. id take it out and clean it, get rid of the algae and other bacteria otherwise its still not gona cool properly. then once its clean make sure you get the mix nice when you reconnect it all back up.
 
hmm sadly I threw the bottle away that the additive came in, so I am presuming that the bottle had some kind of anti-algae in it, as the pre-mix from ek does and it did have a harmful sticker on the bottle.

I just want to prevent further algae build up whilst I wait for whatever bits I order to arrive.
 
Found my bottle out to see and it doesn't mention any anti algae properties to the dye at all just anti corrosive so maybe some kind of extra anti algae is needed so you dont get the same problem again, seems odd though as doesnt say anything about it in the kit etc and supposedly all you need is there.
 
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