Water Cooling and Bleach?

[AMDGuy]

I have had my water cooling rig running for about 4 months 24 hours a day 7 days a week. I recently pulled the cover off to take a look at it. I noticed the clear vinyl tubing wasn't so clear anymore. It had a cloudy look. Upon closer inspection I noticed some sections had a little bit of "something" on the walls. Not sure what it was. It was a white color. Not heavy, just a light coating that would come off if I pinched the hose together.

I opened up the reservoire and put in 1 Teaspoon of bleech. The hoses are still cloudy looking, but most of the other stuff is gone. Is it a good idea to leave this little bit of bleach in the system? I plan on servicing the system this week when I put in my new 1.4 T-bird. I'll be replacing the hoses and cleaning up the pump (if it needs it). When I refill the system should I put this Teaspoon of bleech in it again from the start to avoid this in the future or will the bleech cause a problem?

I used distilled water so I'm not sure why I had this problem at all. All I can figure is that the germs off my hands from assembling the system must have somehow contaminated it.

Any ideas??

[YMAN]

Bleach should be fine, just dont push it. To much may make the pump britle after a while if not carefull. (This is assuming you have a pump with any plastic parts!) It may also hurt the power cord insulation. Just don't put to much bleach in and no more than a week at a time any you should be ok! You may even want to run it with the reservior open for 8 hour after you put the bleach in!

[Crappy]

I put bleach in my setup and it cleaned just about everything out. but the hose still has that white or grey color to them. Only thing I could do was replace the hose. Where it can from I don't know.

I think after time all of them get get like that.
water will also wear away the inside of the hose
but it should take a long time to do that.

[AMDGuy]

Originally posted by YMAN
Bleach should be fine, just dont push it. To much may make the pump britle after a while if not carefull. (This is assuming you have a pump with any plastic parts!) It may also hurt the power cord insulation. Just don't put to much bleach in and no more than a week at a time any you should be ok! You may even want to run it with the reservior open for 8 hour after you put the bleach in!

I'm just wondering if leaving a teaspoon of bleech in the system all the time is a good idea?

[Billvill]

I like the bleach idea ! Next time i have the machine down for service or upgrade. My tubes are really dirty with stuff growing in them. I guess it is AMD algie. LOL

Billy

[Torter]

I am not sure if it would be bad or good to have bleach in there, but it SOUNDS like a bad idea. I know when I have a gut feeling not to do something and do that SOMETHING anyway, I learn WHY I had my doubts.

I wouldn't put bleach in MY system. It may corrode the metal components or cause some type of oxide layer to form. I'd read up on mechanisms of corrosion with copper or aluminum, whatever your waterblock and radiator tubes are made from.

I have the white coloration on the inside of my hoses too. I just assumed it was a light oxide layer that would be there after the system stabilized, regardless. I say that because it took a couple of days to get there. I haven't seen it get any worse yet, only 6 weeks though. I'm still pretty new to water cooling. If you learn anything, feel free to post it for the good of the rest of us. :)

[cookedcomp]

I just recently setup a watercooling circuit for my video card and it has bleach in it. it's been running for about 2 weeks and the hoses are still crystal clear :D. Note: my pump's impeler houseing is made of aluminum and rubber, no cerostion or brittalness yet

[YMAN]

alluminum will not get brital nor will it corode, however you might find the rubber slowly decintegrating. (Excuse the spelling)

[CrystalMethod]

Originally posted by YMAN
alluminum will not get brital nor will it corode, however you might find the rubber slowly decintegrating. (Excuse the spelling)
Not entirely true. Aluminum WILL corrode, but not get brittle. The rubber however, will get brittle. Don't know if anyone has tried this yet, but what about the additive used in waterbeds to keep algae from growing? I have absoluetly no clue how it would affect cooling, but I know it won't cause the rubber to get brittle, and will keep algae from forming inside the tubes and pump. Anyone think of putting a filter on their system yet? The more and more I think about watercooling, the more I think about what I would need to have the system run 24/7 with little or no maintenence.

[William]

if I am not mistaken Spode uses bleach as his additive to water as both a biocide and a water wetter type compound. I think you will be ok, but I will ask around and see what I can come up with. As for whats on the hose, have no idea!

*EDIT* Actually an aluminum precipitate would be clear. I don't remember you having any of that in your system though from your excellent article!