Hey guys just getting ready to build my loop and thought I had my mind made up on what coolant I was going to use. I have heard some horror stories regarding dye so I went with colored tubing and was going to use distilled water with mayhems biocide. I have also heard it is better to get a pre mix. So basically I'm needing some guidance on which option is best.
Pre mix coolant or distilled water with additive
- Thread starter lbill
- Start date
Remmy
New member
Hello 
I'd recommend premix if you prefer convenience over saving a few quid. It obviously contains everything you need in the way of dyes, biocides, and other additives.
If you don't mind putting a bit of effort in and you want to save some money in the long run you can make your own coolant quite a bit cheaper than buying premix. You need deionised water, biocide additive, anti-corrosion additive/kill coil, and optionally, dye.
I should add, I always use premix for the convenience of it.
I'd recommend premix if you prefer convenience over saving a few quid. It obviously contains everything you need in the way of dyes, biocides, and other additives.
If you don't mind putting a bit of effort in and you want to save some money in the long run you can make your own coolant quite a bit cheaper than buying premix. You need deionised water, biocide additive, anti-corrosion additive/kill coil, and optionally, dye.
I should add, I always use premix for the convenience of it.
CrazyTeeka
New member
Hello
I will personally have to disagree with Remmy on this one. It may be that i just had a bad experience but I used dyes for my fist few builds. I initially used Swiftech Hydrax which is not really a dye but ethylene glycol. It worked very well but I was limited to green for the color. I then decided to switch over to dyes. I tried both primochill and Fesser with similar results. I have not tried Mayhems so you may have better luck with those.
They provide the same preformance and they are expensive. You can get deionized water by the gallon for cents. However my main problem is with the stainig. I have has a few leaks over the years and although I have never damaged a part i have stained carpets with them and it is almost impossible to get out. Same goes for tubing and even a corner on a graphics card. It also stains some blocks, especially the acrilic covered ones. Further more the UV effect would fade over a few weeks and i did not like the resulting look.
Blocks release ions into the water so you are never 100% safe for conductivity.
These days I use deionized water and a killcoil only. I have not had any need to use other biocides and since all my blocks are raw copper I dont have issues with galvanic corrosion.
In the end it is the type of look you want to get. A clear reservoir with water only may not look great unless you can light it up. For me it was just too much hassle to bother with.
Hope it helps
I will personally have to disagree with Remmy on this one. It may be that i just had a bad experience but I used dyes for my fist few builds. I initially used Swiftech Hydrax which is not really a dye but ethylene glycol. It worked very well but I was limited to green for the color. I then decided to switch over to dyes. I tried both primochill and Fesser with similar results. I have not tried Mayhems so you may have better luck with those.
They provide the same preformance and they are expensive. You can get deionized water by the gallon for cents. However my main problem is with the stainig. I have has a few leaks over the years and although I have never damaged a part i have stained carpets with them and it is almost impossible to get out. Same goes for tubing and even a corner on a graphics card. It also stains some blocks, especially the acrilic covered ones. Further more the UV effect would fade over a few weeks and i did not like the resulting look.
Blocks release ions into the water so you are never 100% safe for conductivity.
These days I use deionized water and a killcoil only. I have not had any need to use other biocides and since all my blocks are raw copper I dont have issues with galvanic corrosion.
In the end it is the type of look you want to get. A clear reservoir with water only may not look great unless you can light it up. For me it was just too much hassle to bother with.
Hope it helps
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Remmy
New member
I did try highlight that dyes are optional You can get clear premix.
I've never personally had a problem with them, but it's just down to the combination of tubing and coolant used, and sometimes you can get adverse effects, i.e. staining, or plasticising.
I use Mayhems X1, but avoid Mayhems Pastel and Aurora because they're not meant for long term use. I've also used EK coolant and it was all fine, and I know a lot of people like Feser One.
You can get clear premix.I've never personally had a problem with them, but it's just down to the combination of tubing and coolant used, and sometimes you can get adverse effects, i.e. staining, or plasticising.
I use Mayhems X1, but avoid Mayhems Pastel and Aurora because they're not meant for long term use. I've also used EK coolant and it was all fine, and I know a lot of people like Feser One.
Mysterae
New member
I've tried the Feser stuff before but wasn't all that impressed considering the additional cost and availability (no local place near me stocks it). I now mix my own, about 30% coolant
and 70% distilled water
It does limit the colours available though and is obviously not non-conductive.
and 70% distilled water
It does limit the colours available though and is obviously not non-conductive.
That is true but with clear premixes my issue would be price. Killcoils last for years and years and deionized water is cheap but as I said before it would depend if you can get the look you want with colored tubing vs dye.
As I said before that is just my experience for what its worth, you will find a lot of people in both camps around the internet but i have never heard of people running into trouble with deionized water(that they wouldn't have run into with any coolant). I can't say the same for mixes.
As I said before that is just my experience for what its worth, you will find a lot of people in both camps around the internet but i have never heard of people running into trouble with deionized water(that they wouldn't have run into with any coolant). I can't say the same for mixes.
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Silverstone-Z
New member
I run colored tubing with distilled water and a kill-coil. No problems with buildup, growth, etc. My system is flushed/refilled biannually.
Galvanic corrosion occurs when metals are mixed within a loop. If all the metal is the same (ie. copper), anti-corrosive is not needed.
Silver is a natural biocide.
Galvanic corrosion occurs when metals are mixed within a loop. If all the metal is the same (ie. copper), anti-corrosive is not needed.
Silver is a natural biocide.
S_I_N
New member
man I thought this horse was dead but were still beating it so I'll toss in my opinion as well lol. Distilled water and silver is about all thats needed. Mayhems dyes stain just like all others do. I went with them on my first loop in the switch blade build but after seeing the staining I went clear distilled water and colored tubing. And now with coloered rez's from primochill i cant see anyone doing dyes for the headaches they cause.
Mysterae
New member
Lol, it always comes around again as more people get in to it, asking the more experienced people for their valued opinions, which can be quite different. We were all learners at some stage. Some folk find out for themselves, others ask, others google.
Surfie
New member
Just pointing out: Silver and Copper are NOT the same metal, and will (over a long enough time frame) still create a galvanic reaction. The reason that it takes so long though is because copper and silver are very close to each other in terms of their reactivity (i.e. they do not react very quickly to each other). They DO react though (which is why Silver kill coils will turn black over time).
Is this type of galvanic corrosion worth worrying about? Personally, it is. A lot of people will say it is not - and that is fine - it IS a slow reaction (but still a reaction) so for mine, if you are going to use a kill coil, you most definitely should still use an anti corrosive. The problem there though is that most anti corrosives are ALSO really toxic (and thus, almost a biocide in and of themselves). They also change the reactivity of the water.
My personal take is to use De-Ionised water and a product similar to Priomchills Liquid Utopia. It is an anti corrosive and biocide, so if you DO have mixed metals, you will be slowing down the reaction further (still, don't throw aluminium into your loop). The anti corrosive is not only a protection against galvanic corrosion; over time the water will still react with the metal in the loop and still will corrode (rust) without some sort of protection.
If you wish to use dye on top of that, then that is your choice. Just my 2p for what it is worth.
Silverstone-Z
New member
As you stated, silver and copper will react so slowly over time that you'll most likely be replacing parts or scrapping them for a new system/build by the time harmful corrosion actually occurs, especially just carrying contact through water rather than direct surface contact.
I don't keep hardware for too long, and I'd rather buy a new waterblock/radiator than put my family or pets at risk in the event of an anomalous leak.
Of course, I could be wrong in my thinking and choices. I've been wrong before.
I don't keep hardware for too long, and I'd rather buy a new waterblock/radiator than put my family or pets at risk in the event of an anomalous leak.
Of course, I could be wrong in my thinking and choices. I've been wrong before.
Surfie
New member
I hear your choices, and the reasons for them. Those choices are [Edit; removed therefore as it was a placeholder] probably correct for your particular circumstances. I'm not going to sit here and tell you any different. It is a question of preference, on top of requirements. As long as you KNOW that it will happen, then you can at least plan for it.
My own circumstances are very different: I replace hardware very rarely, I have no pets or children to worry about in the event of a leak, so for me, my priorities are: cleanliness in event a mishap, and longevity of the cooling components. This is ultimately what drove my choices away from silver as a biocide and made my block selection quite painful (all my cooling blocks are copper: the only mixed metal (if any) is the solder used in the rads, and whatever components might be in the pump).
Silverstone-Z
New member
Cheers to an actual good exchange of views!:lol:
Damn algae and whatnot...
Damn algae and whatnot...
Its true that any dissimilar metal has the potential for galvanic corrosion but the anodic index of silver and copper are very similar so the current created between then is very small. This will occur over years but it is more likely you will run into problems with oxidation (rusting) which cant be prevented completely than galvanic corrosion. Especially in non plated blocks. Anticorrosive supply ions so the blocks dont get used up but they are toxic as stated above and have to be replenished frequently
It all depends on your priorities but dyes still have their own problems as previously mentioned.
Here is a good article by Martin before he retired.
http://martinsliquidlab.org/2012/01/02/distilled-water-is-the-king-of-water-cooling/
It all depends on your priorities but dyes still have their own problems as previously mentioned.
Here is a good article by Martin before he retired.
http://martinsliquidlab.org/2012/01/02/distilled-water-is-the-king-of-water-cooling/
