Since you're first starting out and don't have those little "gotcha" things just laying around (barbs, etc that can really add up) I would recommend starting off with a kit like this one:
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/2...mp_Included_w_Free_Dead-Water.html?tl=g30c321
Price wise you can't beat it. You just can't get all of those components individually at that price unless you went used or something. The components also aren't proprietary, so they will work if you decide to upgrade the system later and can be upgraded individually. Also everything is copper, so you will have to worry less about corrosion (but still use corrosion inhibitors IMHO, because the barbs, solder, etc all can be of different metals - that's a discussion all in of itself though).
If you can afford to go totally custom, I certainly recommend it. I am just offering this suggestion because I think it makes the best compromise between custom and kit. It's great to "get you started" so to speak.
I don't recommend a Koolance system like what I'm using (see sig), I just am using it because it's what I had. I also recommend sticking to copper for everything regardless of what you do. It makes things easier, and cheaper in the long run.
While I'm on the subject, I'd just like to mention something people overlook when looking at water cooling... It's actually a fantastic investment. The WC unit I'm using is over 5 years old. There are few things you can get for your PC that will still be performing as well as the newest model in 5 years. The dual core computers were just getting big at that time and everyone was very impressed by them. Nobody was even thinking about a CPU that had 8 cores. Now I've got an amazing overclock on my 8 core fx8320 with the same unit that beats any air or "all in one" water cooling unit. Granted you may need to get newer water blocks for your components as you upgrade them, I still think it's a great investment.
