View Full Version : Coudy water from bacteriostatic?
I just got some of this to put in my loop:
http://yourfilters.com/product_info.php/products_id/2115?osCsid=1a2dd24011e894cb4185d26012b04aa0
I added it to the 1:20 ratio mix of Zerex and distilled water, and the water turned slightly cloudy. Is this normal or indicative of a problem? I used a little bit over the recommended dosage of the bacteriostatic, but that can't be the reason right? Please let me know, I'm a bit worried, haha! Thanks! :)
BlueMan
06-13-04, 10:12 AM
the reccomended dosage you mentioned - for how much water was that? our loops will almost surely have less water than a fishtank.
I kept a fishtank a few years ago, and I do remember the bacteriostat being a little cloudy, but it settles over time. I'm not sure if it would ever have the chance to settle in a closed loop, always moving system though.
Surreal
06-13-04, 07:09 PM
counteract the cloud with UV additive?
daniel_dynasty
06-13-04, 07:25 PM
too much uv additive = stains.. drain a little of the water and put in distilled water in.. never ever put more than enuf..
Korndog
06-13-04, 08:30 PM
lol, sounds like a percipitate reaction (ahhh! chemistry, the horror). i'll take a guess and say one of the additives has probably changed to something else.. another guess.. clouds could be carbon from the zerex (it is glycol afterall right?)
anyone know whats in that bacteriostatic stuff??
situman
06-13-04, 09:08 PM
i always thought antifreeze stuff is toxic. wouldnt that be enough to kill anything in there?
Well, since my loop uses about 2-3 cups of liquid, I used the proportional amount of bacteriostatic recommended for a gallon. I may have used a tad bit more than recommended, but not much. Am I in trouble? I haven't been able to check my system since I left town. Am I going to go back and find something bad? Haha! Oh man, I'm worried now... precipitate = bad... :(
Korndog
06-16-04, 02:56 PM
it should be fine, it shouldn't precipitate too bad, but i'd still drain/flush and refill ur setup.
it should be fine, it shouldn't precipitate too bad, but i'd still drain/flush and refill ur setup.
What do you think the precipate is? Carbon? Sulfates? Some other sediment? Or are they just tiny airbubbles that look like precipitate? Hmmm, I was a little concerned when it turned cloudy, but I didn't have time to do anything about it, so I just ran my system for about 30 minutes, then left town. There wasn't much else I could have done. :(
Korndog
06-16-04, 04:07 PM
my guess is carbon. it sounds like a chemistry experiment i did a few weeks ago.
it should be fine as long as u don't run it. the percipitate might block the channels in ur rbx.
my guess is carbon. it sounds like a chemistry experiment i did a few weeks ago.
it should be fine as long as u don't run it. the percipitate might block the channels in ur rbx.
But I already ran it for 10min when I first put it in. It became cloudy instantly. Doh! Do you think if I take out a small sample I could rub it between my fingers to determine whether or not there really is a precipate?
Sorry for being so persistent on this, but I JUST filled my system, and it's going to be a major pain in the butt to drain it AND flush it out (which I'm not sure how to do w/o taking off the blocks, which I really don't want to do :( )
Korndog
06-17-04, 11:45 PM
sorry dude, but u might end up wishing u did if ur cpu gets plugged up and waterflow stops and ur system fries.
probably not going to end like that, but don't take the chance.
sorry dude, but u might end up wishing u did if ur cpu gets plugged up and waterflow stops and ur system fries.
probably not going to end like that, but don't take the chance.
If it's still uniformly cloudy when I get back in 2 months, can I rule out precipitation?
Hey guys,
Sorry for the thread revival. I didn't want to start a new post just so previous comments wouldn't be repeated.
Well, it's been a long time since I used my rig. I went back to take a look at it and there was the usual "precipitate" settled in certain areas. Does anyone have any further insight as to what the bacteriostatic combined with the Zerex produced? It doesn't seem to be sticking to anything, but then again, what do I know! I hope someone has tried this combo before. My setup isn't very user-friendly so draining it is going to be a big pain, so I'd like to avoid it if possible.
sunrunner20
07-26-05, 02:44 PM
i always thought antifreeze stuff is toxic. wouldnt that be enough to kill anything in there?
Not everything. Some bactera will still live in that enviroment.
Bugsmasher
07-26-05, 04:52 PM
Ditto what Sunrunner said.
Especially if you use a Low Tox (yep, I have a cat and two dogs). I must say after 6 months I had quite the little growth farm going on. I would sincerely suggest some sort of bacteriostat additive for those using antifreeze and water.
My setup isn't very user-friendly so draining it is going to be a big pain, so I'd like to avoid it if possible.
Well..., you will need to do something to get the particulate matter out of there and draining and filtering (or replacing) the water/additive mix is generally how that's done. I'd (mostly) drain the system and filter the water through a coffee filter and then put it back in and see how much of an improvement you get. If there's an improvement, repeat as necessary. But, it might be easier to just pull everything apart, clean it with distilled water and then put it all back together. Tough call.
That sucks... but I guess you're right. If it's cloudy, then it has to be particulate right?
If I can't use bacteriostatic in the future because of this particulate problem, what else can I use to keep things from growing in there?
No oil in the anti bacterial? I run straight tap water in my loop and have done so for the last year without changing it once nor have I had to add any after all air was out. Water and lines are as clear as the day I filled it. It is not directly exposed to sunlight. I think it would be wise though to do a ph test on the water and will be doing so soon. It is my belief that additives inhibit heat transfer and without a reason to, why? System does need to be air tight though. Just my thoughts and results.
There is no way I would run tap water. Too much evidence to show that it can and does cause lots of problems.
You can use a few drops of iodine to kill algae and about everything else. The iodine that does not come with a lot of alcohol in it is the kind you want. I got mine from Walmart in the first-aid area.
most of the parts are inert or nearly so in regards to water. Given the plumbing in your house is most likely copper and brass. The vinyl now, well unlikely to cause corosion. Maybe you are referring to the mixing of metals. I am sure I am mistaken but with a copper block, vinyl lines copper/brass rads, maybe the pump? As far as algae, ain't got none.
All the criteria I have seen over the years makes note of the use of non compatible metals and algae. It is realitively safe to say that all the drinking water in your house passes through both copper and brass. The ph of the water would be of more interest to me. I've taken both the maze 1 and 2 apart (using the stove as they were soldered) and found nothing in them to warrant the use of an additive. Not even any algae. Now if I was using different metals in my system I would use an additive. I guess what I am really asking is justification for the use of an additive. I did try water wetter years ago but discontinued its' use as I saw no benefit. As for anti-freeze, anti corrosive benefits in a car w/ aluminum, steel, copper and brass makes sense not to mention the bp and lubricating qualities. In a closed loop? why? I have never had a block or rad leak as a result of using tap water in a sealed system with compatible metals. Almost any additive would raise the bp and inhibit the transfer of heat.
In a bong setup I found a couple of drops of the wifes chlorox was sufficient to keep things relatively clean though through evaporation I would need to clean the head occasionally due to calcium build up.
Back on topic. I tried to find an msds on the bacterial but to no avail. I do suspect though after reading about it that it is intended to be used with some sort of filtering and would therefore lead me to believe that we have a suspension/precipitate.
The water in my apartment (Philly) smells terrible. It smells like sour pond water. I'm guessing that it's also loaded with lead and boron. Philly has a lead problem but according to the city, of course, the water is up to spec. I would never think of using that water in my setup, haha! I don't know, I figure might as well guy distilled since I know that to be free of extras. I'm not going to spend the time figuring out the pH of my tap water or what's in it. My nose tells me that it's pretty gross.
Eh, I think I'm just going to drain my system, I don't want the participate to grind a hole in my waterblocks... Is there a way for me to determine if it's a suspension and not a precipitate?
The water in my apartment (Philly) smells terrible. It smells like sour pond water. I'm guessing that it's also loaded with lead and boron. Philly has a lead problem but according to the city, of course, the water is up to spec. I would never think of using that water in my setup, haha! I don't know, I figure might as well guy distilled since I know that to be free of extras. I'm not going to spend the time figuring out the pH of my tap water or what's in it. My nose tells me that it's pretty gross.
Eh, I think I'm just going to drain my system, I don't want the participate to grind a hole in my waterblocks... Is there a way for me to determine if it's a suspension and not a precipitate?
Distilled is only $1/gal or so. Cheaper than a new block. ;)
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