I'm finally takeing the plunge....help!

Alright, I'm conviced. I NEED watercooling

I've done the normal searching/lurking through threads, but have a couple questions. I've learned from upgradeing to do it right the first time. Go for the best you can afford/want to spend.

That being said, this is the setup I am looking to get:
Dtek WW $49 http://www.dtekcustoms.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=106
Eheim 1250 $69 http://www.dtekcustoms.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=32
Maze 4 GPU $39 http://www.dangerden.com/mall/Blocks/maze4gpu.asp

Xaser III Super Tower $129 http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-133-106&depa=1 (I'm kinda worried about HD placement on this case. I'll put the heatercore in the lower front end, so those cages will be gone. I have 3 hdd's.....)

That's all I got so far. Any idea's what to change/keep? Now to my questions.

Which tubing is the best? I want to use 1/2" through the whole system. I don't want it to harden/break over time. I don't mind spending the extra 30 bucks now, then spending 10-200 bucks later to fix it. I also want a UV blue color in the water. Which UV additive works the best? I've heard that some don't work well at all.


Also, which chevette heatercore is the best (year)? Will I have to solder on the 1/2" fittings on them? I've heard heatercores work a LOT better then rad's. Is this true? Also, should I pull air through the heatercore, or push it? It will be in the bottom/front of the case.

Thanks for your help. I'm pretty noob when it comes to watercooling.

Get Clearflex tubing, same properties as Tygon but cheaper. UV additives = unnecessary. Use some blue highlighter fluid. Heatercores are better than radiators. A '86 Chevette should work nicely

I have not found a blue that lights up well...

the other colors shine right up, but blue is a PITA

I used some blue food coloring, and it hasa nice deep color with my cathodes lighting up the rest of it.

After much research here and elsewhere, here's what I did: I bought an '87 Chevette core from an Auto parts store, hacksawed off the stock barbs, jb-welded on ordinary 45° copper pipe joints found in any hardware store...because I have a thru-case sys. I got several feet of Tygon tubing to make the turns no prob., I made two identical fan shrouds out of sheet metal, and attached two push-pull 120mm fans to blow through the heater core. There is an additional 120mm fan blowing onto the vid card\mosfets in the usual place. I have a Cascade block on the cpu...thank you Cathar! I made a Res out of plumbing parts and attached it to the rear of my PC case. If you want pics or how-to's just say the word...

I am so envious you got a Cascade...Cathar doesn't sell them anymore

Silent Buddha said:

Get Clearflex tubing, same properties as Tygon but cheaper. UV additives = unnecessary. Use some blue highlighter fluid. Heatercores are better than radiators. A '86 Chevette should work nicely

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Will clearflex last as long as tygon? And is Tygon the best known one?

Jibjo said:

After much research here and elsewhere, here's what I did: I bought an '87 Chevette core from an Auto parts store, hacksawed off the stock barbs, jb-welded on ordinary 45° copper pipe joints found in any hardware store...because I have a thru-case sys.

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That's a good idea. I remember reading that somewhere (probally your post) JB weld is sweet. But, is there any reason to get a 87' chevette core over any other year? Just wonder cause I have no idea.

Also, will the pump I choose work well with a WW and maze4?

I also wish I could get a Casade. I've heard many good things about them.

ewwwwww Xaser III :s

For a pump look at the Swiftech MCP600,It has good head and is powered by 12v.

diehrd said:

For a pump look at the Swiftech MCP600,It has good head and is powered by 12v.

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i thought eheim was too but the plug for them had an adaptor?

Stee said:

ewwwwww Xaser III :s

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Whats wrong with thermalright cases? I admit the newer ones are a little cheesy, but the older ones are still sweet. Which case would you recommend.

So the eheims are 120v pumps? I just figured they were 12v.

I was first looking into the mcp600, but from the flow charts, it seem that eheim wins. I guess it's kinda good that the eheim is 120v, so that it doesn't take away from the PSU.


So what's the best, or at least most used chevette heatercore. I've heard to use 86' and 87'.

I should have a lot of room in my new case, so size isn't a HUGE issue.

I might also wait until the new chipset comes out, because I figured that the prices on socket A waterblocks might drop some.

iLLestOne said:

Whats wrong with thermalright cases? I admit the newer ones are a little cheesy, but the older ones are still sweet. Which case would you recommend.

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well if you liked the old xaserIIs, then for $70 less you could get a chieftec dragon, which'd fit a chevette core with the removal of only 1 of the 2 HDD cages.....
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-125-263&depa=1

lol...it's Thermaltake...if you don't know which brand of case you're getting, consider getting a much cheaper Chieftec Dragon . I've never been a fan of pre-mod cases, and IMHO Thermaltake is all looks these days.

I am using an antec p-160 case,lotsa room for a chevette core.and for 111 bucks it comes with a clear side panel from newegg.I like the front panel because I have 2 optical drives that are different colors and it hides them well.http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-129-144&depa=1

lol, I don't talk about thermaltake much, usually just thermalright. My bad, lol.

I was thinking about that case too. I just want a big case, with lots of room to work with. I have a small, cramped case now and am sick of it!

That def. is a cool case. I'd just have to cut a hole in the side for a 120mm vid card fan.

personaly hate the cases with loadsa bull**** on the front facia, its what destroys the look of cases when u fill them fulla moded rheostats and crap like that, a simple straight front like a lian li or some coolermaster cases is perfect. tbh xaser looks like some ****ed up trassformer. tries to go for a symetrical design but destroys it with having thermaltake written down the front, eww.

its what id class as a t2tm case 'taky 2 teh max'.

They're not much to look at but I like the heavy steel Antec server case I have, esp. because I got it cheap with a 430w Antec True PSU.

Eheim pumps are good and reliable, but they are also expensive and large. I don't think you would be unhappy with the Swiftech.

Btw you asked about Chevette core years... the 86 and 87 come with barbs that one-half inch inside diameter tubing can fit right over with no mods, so you can use them "as is" if you want. If you are going to get a big case, though, I would be tempted to go for a larger heater core from a Taurus or something like that.

stick with the thermaltake the ppl on here love the chessy old style plain ugly cases...i like how my xaser3 200a looks and when i finish modding it simmilar to what u want i think it'll look sweet........but i think it needs alot of work to do that, gotta cut off all the girlls and get rid of the hd bay, though i hear it makes it less stable, stick ya rad and shourd down there it'll rock.......one way i'm looking at is dual rad, one where the front intake fans r the second where the hd bays r......still stick with the thermaltake might take more work but looks differnt then any plain old case ya hear on here...............serioursly whats so much better bout that dragon one then something ya can buy anywhere as a cheap run of the mill case? looks the same on the outside

wow are you joking, cheesy is epitome of the xaser

You don't need a pre-mod case to make it look cool. I would buy un-modded Antec, Chieftec, Cooler Master, or Lian-Li cases because of the possibility of mods I could do. I don't want a case that says "Thermaltake" in huge letters across the front. Simply overkill, doesn't look classy at all.