Hey, So I am thinking of doing custom water cooling for my computer. I have no previous hands on experience and no specific tools for water cooling, but have been watching the water cooling scene since a while now (years?).

My computer (current setup and upgrade plans):
- Case beQuiet! Dark Base Pro 900 Rev. 2 (used in standard configuration - not inverted)
- MB: Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master
- CPU: Ryzen 9 3950X (with a possible upgrade to a 5950X end of 2021)
- Gigabyte GTX 1060 3GB GPU (with intention to upgrade to a 3080 or 6800XT until end of 2021)
- Corsair HXi 1000 PSU.
- Noctua NH-D15 Chromax CPU cooler.
- I would like to use Noctua fans for this build but I understand that there are some problems with them, so I will probably buy some more SilentWings 3 PWM fans as needed to match the ones that came with the case - I hear they are pretty good (although slightly lower static pressure than the Noctua according to specs).

In general, I have not a lot of interest in LED lighting but I am also not trying to deliberately avoid it. I would like to have a very stable and robust water cooling system because it can get very hot in my apartment during summer (30-32 deg C).

I see 3 phases to my little project.

• PHASE 1: just water cool my CPU, with a basic system made up of CPU block, Pump + Reservoir combo, 420 (3x140) radiator (TOP of case), and the simplest (safe for noobs) solution for tubing and fitting.
• PHASE 2: based on results from PHASE 1, upgrade the system with an additional modular 280 (2x140) radiator (with D5 pump for redundance and overkill), and possibly some quality of life improvements and preparation for additional control possibilities (more sensors, control loops, ...)
• PHASE 3: based on results from PHASE 1 and PHASE 2 add a GPU block for the GPU I will have at the time (either from NVIDIA or AMD), and possibly a more advanced control module (Aquaero).

For PHASE 1 I put together a nice little ( ) shopping list, which will set me back ~530 EUR including shipping:

1. 1 x cuplex
   kryos NEXT VARIO with VISION AM4/3000/5000, nickel/nickel (21782)
   
2. 1 x airplex
   radical 2/420, aluminum fins (33709)
3. 1 x Set
   of 5 1/4 inch bay installation brackets for airplex XT / PRO / evo (32051)
4. 1 x ULTITUBE
   D5 150 PRO reservoir with D5 NEXT pump (34109)
5. 1 x Mounting
   bracket 140 mm fan mount for ULTITUBE D5 reservoir (34113)
   
6. 2 x Tubing
   PUR natur, plug&cool (61003)
7. 6 x Straight
   plug&cool fitting G 1/4 (90003)
8. 4 x Elbow
   fitting plug&cool G 1/4, pivotable (90006)
9. 1 x Ball
   valve plug&cool (6301
10. 1 x Clipping
    strip plug&cool (63010)
11. 1 x Double
    Protect Ultra 1l (53113)
    
12. 1 x Hose
    cutter for a maximum diameter of 16 mm (63017)
    
13. 1 x SPLITTY9
    ACTIVE - active splitter for up to 9 PWM fans (53283)

So my questions to you guys are:

1. Does the Set of 5 1/4 inch bay installation brackets for airplex XT / PRO / evo (32051) really fit to the radiator I want to get? The name implies that it does not, but still the mounting seems to be quite universal from the pictures, so if anyone has some experience with this, let me know. I am willing to get them for some extra mounting options, but only if I am positive they CAN be useful.
   
2. How do you guys feel about the plug and cool system from AC? is it really the safest/easiest for noobs, or should I consider going for the compression fittings available? If so, then what would be the recommended compression system tubing gauge for the noobs? (bigger? smaller?).
3. Do you guys see a problem with supplying the pump from the SYS_FAN/PUMP header on the MB? (in terms of current capacity).
4. For PHASE 1 am I missing something from my shopping list? It is important I get everything in one go because I would hate to spend 500+ EUR only to look at the components until some obscure thing I missed is back in stock at AquaComputer. Not to mention that shipping rates to Romania are 28 EUR so it would be a bummer if I have to later buy a 3 EUR nothing and spend 28 EUR for shipping AGAIN .
5. The 420 RAD would sit in the TOP of the case (fans set to exhaust), the 280 RAD (from PHASE 2) would sit in front of the case (fans set for intake), with several fans at the bottom (set for intake) and one fan at the back (set for exhaust). I would control the pump from the PUMP header of the MB, I would connect the SPLITTY to the CPU fan header (controlled from the UEFI) and then connect all fans on a radiator to the outputs of the SPLITTY, I would let all other case fans to be controlled by the case. Do you see any major mistake with my thinking? Hints/Ideas are appreciated

I have to be honest with you guys: I like and trust the AquaComputer ecosystem, but I am a bit put off by the German site and store front (with some attempts for English but incomplete), the mostly German forums and lack of documentation for some items. I need to feel like this community is behind me when I plan to spend 500+ EUR in one go (that's a lot of money for me...)

Thanks in advance
Andrei

Indeed, the BeQuiet case supports a 420 Rad in the top without having to even remove the ODD bay. I was only considering the brackets for some future addition of extra radiators in places where the case was not designed to hold radiators .

All right, I will reconsider the tubing and fittings and update the shopping list to use the 13/10 tubes and related fittings.

Thanks for the D5 hints. Looking at the manual you suggested, I have now two topics:

1. I think I will be quickly running out of USB connections with the waterblock, pump, case front... so I suppose I will also have to consider a USB hub such as this one: HUBBY7 internal USB 2.0 Hub (23230);
2. I see in the manual you linked that the rated coolant temperature is 0-50 C. I think under full prolonged load the coolant temperature might exceed 50C (on hot summer days I will have 30-32C ambient). Do you think this will be a problem?

Thanks for the hints,
Andrei

So my list becomes:

1. UNCHANGED 1 x cuplex kryos NEXT VARIO with VISION AM4/3000/5000, nickel/nickel (21782)
2. UNCHANGED 1 x airplex radical 2/420, aluminum fins (33709)
3. REMOVED 1 x Set of 5 1/4 inch bay installation brackets for airplex XT / PRO / evo (32051)
4. UNCHANGED 1 x ULTITUBE D5 150 PRO reservoir with D5 NEXT pump (34109)
5. UNCHANGED 1 x Mounting bracket 140 mm fan mount for ULTITUBE D5 reservoir (34113)
6. CHANGED 2 x Hose Tygon E3603 13/10 mm clear (61025)
7. CHANGED 6 x Coupling 13/10 mm G 1/4 with O-gasket (90089)
8. CHANGED 4 x Coupling 13/10 mm G 1/4 m. O-gasket 45° elbow, pivotable (90092)
9. CHANGED 1 x Ball valve internal thread G 1/4 (90075)
10. REMOVED 1 x Clipping strip plug&cool (63010)
11. UNCHANGED 1 x Double Protect Ultra 1l (53113)
12. CHANGED 1 x Barrow soft tube cutter, white (90154)
13. UNCHANGED 1 x SPLITTY9 ACTIVE - active splitter for up to 9 PWM fans (53283)
14. ADDED 1 x HUBBY7 internal USB 2.0 Hub (53230)

GRAND Total 565 EUR (including tax and shipping)

And now for some more questions that come up:

1. For the Ultitube D5 PRO 150 can I just order the spare part 200mm tube if I figure out that the 200mm can fit into my case? (it's only ~8EUR so I could order it in PHASE 2).
2. Is there a technical advantage that makes the Tygon hose approx 4 times more expensive that the regular PVC one?
3. The coolant as I can understand is premixed (so no adding of additional distilled water). Do you think that 1l is enough? (I can order more for PHASE 2, but for PHASE 1 I am on a tight budget so I need just enough to get me started)
4. The coolant description mentions anticorrosive agents and that it is a poor conductor. But what about biocide agents? Are they also included in the mix, or do I need to add them?
5. Most of this shopping list is out-of-stock. How then in your experience does this work: do I get the whole order after the longest lead time expired? Or do I get bits and pieces of the order as they become available? In that case, do I have to pay shipping for every shipment?

Thanks,
Andrei

Hi,

In the mean time I figured out the answer to one of my questions:

Zitat

Most of this shopping list is out-of-stock. How then in your experience does this work: do I get the whole order after the longest lead time expired? Or do I get bits and pieces of the order as they become available? In that case, do I have to pay shipping for every shipment?

It is stated in the Delivery Time section of the shop:
"If you order several items within one order, for which different delivery times apply, we will ship the goods (unless otherwise agreed) in a joint shipment. In this case, the delivery time that applies to the item with the longest delivery time in your order shall apply to your order of goods in total."

I am almost ready to push the trigger and buy this stuff. But I am still unclear on the questions I had:
- do you think 1l is enough? or maybe should I get 2l of coolant?
- is there any biocide in the coolant included? if not, do you know where I might find some in the shop? I have not found any.

Plus: I see some complaints on the forum about OLED screen burn in. Since there will be 2 of those in my system (possibly even more) I am bit concerned. Should I be concerned? What should I do to avoid this? In case it still happens, what is Aquacomputer policy for these kind of complaints?

Thanks,
Andrei

Thanks for the info.

Then I guess I will ask Aquacomputer directly about the OLED burn-in. Do you know some support e-mail where Aquacomputer can be reached? I would also like to ask about payment terms... But I guess really here only AC can answer.

Thanks

No worries, I have time; I would like to pull the trigger by EO January. That way, the parts will be in EO March, and the build will be ready EO April, just in time for the HOT season .

So I will think long and hard about a nice list of clear and unambiguous questions, so I don't have to converse too much with them .

Thanks