WC reccomendations.

Chances are you've seen the bits and pieces of my build in various places, and now that buying time is approaching, I need some good WC. Here's the build as it stands (assuming the people in general hardware don't tear it up too much)
Case

COOLER MASTER Stacker RC-832 320$

CPU

Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 400$

Hard Drive

2 x Seagate 500GB 32M Barracuda 7200.11 110$x2

Memory

G.Skill 2x2GB DDR2-1000 CAS5 F2-8000CL5D-4GBPQ 120$

Graphics

GeForce 8800 GTS, 768MB PCI Express 200$

Motherboard

X48 290$

PSU

Corsair 620HX 140$

OS

Windows Vista Home Premium 64

As for WC. Fittings, tubing, ect is a given. Rad's, pumps, and blocks are not. So far it seems I'll want to block my CPU for sure, possibly both of my gpu's, although I would take advice on that one. One rad will possibly handle it, and that and the blocks swiftech seems to be the best choice for. (with that, a question, if I end up getting gpu blocks, full coverage, or go with ramsinks? it's one of the few things I've found nothing truly definative on)

As for pumps, since this is my first WC rig with more than one block, I really have no idea what pump power would be required in a (possibly) three block system. Reccomendations?

not sure why you have 2 cpu's listed but here are 2 sets of options and prices

this setup will do both gpu's and Cpu going the non full coverage route.

2x Swiftech MCW60 VGA cooler = 43.99
1x Swiftech MCP655 Pump = 69.99
1x D-tek FuZion = 59.99
1x Swiftech MCR 320 rad 44.99
1x Swiftech MicroRes = 16.99
1x Swiftech HydrX = 2.99
10x ClearFLEX 60 Tubing 1/2" ID / 3/4" OD = 8.90
3x YATE LOON 120mm Case Fan = 9.45
2x Swiftech MC8800 Kit = 34.95


total = $371.18


and this is for just the cpu

1x Swiftech MCP655 Pump = 69.99
1x D-tek FuZion = 59.99
1x Swiftech MCR 320 rad 44.99
1x Swiftech MicroRes = 16.99
1x Swiftech HydrX = 2.99
10x ClearFLEX 60 Tubing 1/2" ID / 3/4" OD = 8.90
3x YATE LOON 120mm Case Fan = 9.45

total = $212.30

though you could go with a double 120mm rad instead of the triple but the price difference being so little i would opt for the triple rad and then it leaves room for alot of overclocking and more water blocks later on.

wow, I forgot to delete the Qx when I posted that, sorry. edited.

do you think both GPU's would need to be wc'd in order for good ocing/is it too much effort to add in the blocks later to be worth not having them now?

edit: I have a metalshop, and in all honesty it seems more effective just just make the sinks instead of buying the kit, I could get some similar ones from scrap and cut them to size, polishing would be the only hard part and in that it would only be tedious, but IMO I could save about 60$ or so. Any reason not to do this?

Yes. have you seen the inside of a FuZion WB? Or the new DD block for the CPUs? If you can do that kind of work and perform flow testing on the design for inpingment/heat transfer in a simulation then go for it. Maybe you can make the next WB king!

hahaha, not what I meant. I just meant the fabrication of the ramsinks for the Swiftech MC8800 Kit. The waterblocks I could do if I had a many few more thousand dollars to buy computer guided precision cutting tools ect >< The actual air cooled ramsinks however I think are well within what I can manage.

Take a look here, hard to beatthe prices for the amount of work.

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=197

Ninth said:

Graphics

GeForce 8800 GTS, 768MB PCI Express 200$

Click to expand...

a 768MB GTS? you must mean a GTX? or the 512mb GTS..

Actually that's my indecision you're seeing in my late night typing. I'm trying to decide if I need the extra memory from the GTX at the expense of about 100$ per card (I'm going with two). Other than that, for what I've heard, the two cards are basically comparable in function.

(Also, fsk. How the hell did I manage to go from a very good build with great parts at excellent prices to something costing me just under 2800$. I thought I was watching my prices ;_

Good water is unreasonably expensive. Better to not WC than come here and get good advise?

Hard to say, but ya will have an uber WC system. I always like telling a IT Guru at work that I WC my PC, we talk and he's in shock........ Fun.......

Edit: Sorry about more $$$, I did too, $600 for my CPU/NB/GPU WC......... No case either....

Imagine you got a ThermalTake WC setup then came here for questions. Your smarter than I look.

If you don't order things like a res, hose and clamps online, you could cool only the cpu for not much cost at all. For sure under $200. If you consider getting some previously owned stuff you could probobly do the whole thing for a little over 200... maybe less. When you get picky is really the only time it breaks the wallet. In the past I've made very effective WC systems for very little money - none of the parts were new and some stuff was home made but it did beat any air heatsink for the money. I guess if you shop all new things do get quite expensive. In my opinion getting hose online and spending lots of money on what a t-line can do (expensive fancy res) is just silly.

Yea, smart purchases can save ya cash, but it takes knowledge, Ben is right. You know what is 2-3 on the tier for the best CPU block (and there is little diff) you can find a used block on the cheap. Never know when someone is upgrading to a top brand rad and has a great used rad for a song. Top class NEW is costly, but ya really don't need top for good cooling. Ben knows, he does it well and is a lot older to WC than I am.

Research, and the right questions is all I can say. Lotta reviews and info on the net.

Of course I'm not getting the hose/clamps online, and I may very well be building the res myself, if only to make it fit more efficiently in the case. My two main issues are used wc blocks, and cooling only the cpu. Both would technically save money, but one, would a used block honestly be assured to function as well as a new one, and secondly, would I be able to achieve a significantly as high OC with just CPU cooling?

(these questions are not hypothetical, by the way ><)