My tubes are white as snow!

[Brolloks]

Yeah, check the water pH and if is less tha 6 then it's most likely bacteria...the bugs make water acidic

 

[Trike007]

hrmm... interesting.. i'm re-doing my loop right now and upgrading to a mcr320 and i noticed this clouding as well on my tubing.

look at the tube running from the reservoir to the pump. That tube used to be clear. I used petra's biocide in it, 10% pentosin, and distilled water. This was 5 months ago. You can also see alittle bit in the reservoir Debating if i should just replace it. I have some extra tygon laying around.

As long as nothing is growing in it, I don't care.

 

[Otter]

Does the clouding in the res follow the waterline?

 

[situman]

vinegar causes reactions. it has been said to no longer use vinegar but rinse with hot water and shake violently.

 

[Gunlance]

How long does this clouding take to occur? Roughly. I;ve had my loop for a few months and no clouding what so ever.

 

[Maviryk]

Anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months, depending on how much light enters your case. You'll notice the clouding more if you drain the loop.

 

[voigts]

This question has been raised many times before, and the answer that I have read seems to have something to do with the actual plasticizer used to make the tubing. Every other potential cause has been debated and eliminated. The white film strikes all vinyl tubing it seems sooner or later. I have found that Masterkleer takes over 6 months to cloud just a little bit (nowhere near as badly as in darkcow's case), whereas I have had less success with Tygon R3603 as it clouds for me rather quickly. Clearflex60 is the worst in that it will cloud in a matter of weeks.

 

[darkcow]

This question has been raised many times before, and the answer that I have read seems to have something to do with the actual plasticizer used to make the tubing. Every other potential cause has been debated and eliminated. The white film strikes all vinyl tubing it seems sooner or later. I have found that Masterkleer takes over 6 months to cloud just a little bit (nowhere near as badly as in darkcow's case), whereas I have had less success with Tygon R3603 as it clouds for me rather quickly. Clearflex60 is the worst in that it will cloud in a matter of weeks.

yea i know all about the white tubing, i've seen it before and have read quite a few threads on it, but my main question was if it would affect my pump or not, but im guessing that it wont, i havn't seen this topic discussed before.


but i think that theory of plasticizer is probably the reason

 

[E-Licious]

So if what I'm reading is right. There is currently no known method of using clear tubes with additives and keeping the tubes clear? Right now I'm using distilled + anti-freeze + highlighter dye (for green glow) and my tubes have a white haze after almost 4 years. Also, my tubes have a green tint to them that I noticed when I shut off my pump.

 

[darkcow]

So if what I'm reading is right. There is currently no known method of using clear tubes with additives and keeping the tubes clear? Right now I'm using distilled + anti-freeze + highlighter dye (for green glow) and my tubes have a white haze after almost 4 years. Also, my tubes have a green tint to them that I noticed when I shut off my pump.

well, at least its not like a year old revival lol.


yes, what I've concluded personally is that the white build up is inevitable, but it won't hurt your pump or anything else, so just let it be if you don't mind.

im running pure distilled and some iodine and thats it and it still built up, and boy it built up, i probably have the worst case ever lol, so im replacing it all with black.

 

[Adragontattoo]

The white is inevitable, I have fishtank hoses that get it after awhile and they are only connected once a week for water changes.

The cheaper hose after a LONG period may become tough to bend or move but the discoloration will/should not affect the pump or any other piece unless the hose begins to degrade and particles start flowing through the system(HIGHLY UNLIKELY).

 

[Mycobacteria]

Its been a year since i set up my water cooling with the silver tubes...

I had a section of clear tubes in my loop so I could see the flow and if it was bleeding alright.

The clear section of tube is still clear

The res which is made of clear acrylic is still clear

I have NEVER had to replace the water in my loop.... (holds 6 Litres of water)

I dont use additives...

 

[Otter]

So if what I'm reading is right. There is currently no known method of using clear tubes with additives and keeping the tubes clear?

Well, you could use Tygon 2075 or 2275. It does not have the plasticizer used in 3603, Masterkleer, and other common WC tubing, and hence should not cloud, but it's not as clear to begin with. Jackrungh posted this image of 2 year old 3603 alongside new 2075 and 2275.
http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/7609/allthreeck1.jpg

The full discussion is here,
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=506575&highlight=tubing+sticky

BTW, even if you you use straight water the regular clear PVC tubing will cloud eventually as the water replaces the plasticizer in the tubing.

Right now I'm using distilled + anti-freeze + highlighter dye (for green glow) and my tubes have a white haze after almost 4 years. Also, my tubes have a green tint to them that I noticed when I shut off my pump.

If that's all that's happened in four years, I'd say your tubing faired fairly well. Which type is it?

 

[Automata]

Your links don't work otter...

Second one does...

 

[E-Licious]

Well, you could use Tygon 2075 or 2275. It does not have the plasticizer used in 3603, Masterkleer, and other common WC tubing, and hence should not cloud, but it's not as clear to begin with. Jackrungh posted this image of 2 year old 3603 alongside new 2075 and 2275.
http://imageshack.us/?x=my6&myref=h...owthread.php?t=506575&highlight=tubing+sticky

The full discussion is here,
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=506575&highlight=tubing+sticky

BTW, even if you you use straight water the regular clear PVC tubing will cloud eventually as the water replaces the plasticizer in the tubing.


If that's all that's happened in four years, I'd say your tubing faired fairly well. Which type is it?

Thanks for the link. As far as what tubing i'm, using, I honestly can't remember. I know I didn't splurge for the Tygon stuff but it wasn't from home depot either. It was about $1 a foot from dangerden.

Is there any UV reactive tygon available? My water used to have a nice green glow but that faded after awhile. I think UV reactive tubing would be a better choice.

 

[Otter]

Your links don't work otter...

Second one does...

It's fixed now. Thanks for pointing out the problem.