Question Gunk on vertical inlet port of EK-Quantum Kinetic pump reservoir ?

[skulish]

Hi folks!

I assembled my first waterloop couple of weeks ago, tested it and left it for a couple of weeks until my gpu waterblock arrives (computer was not used during this period). Right now intel tube have strange gunk on it
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pKNQdG_l-Z9oPghys3Oae1ZGeWDsBN8w/view?usp=sharing

I am not sure if cpu waterblock have same stuff - its EKWB quantum velocity 2 full nickel. Is this algae, corrosion or what is it? Should I be worried and disassamble loop immidiately?

I shouldn't have any aluminium parts - nickel waterblock + copper radiator. Liquid - borrow concentrated liquid (transparent) 20-25:1 ratio with distilled water (as written on bottle)

 

[Lutfij]

Is it green or grey? Is the panel facing a window with sunlight entering it? Did you introduce a silver kill coil+PT Nuke to the coolant/mixture? Might want to list all your watercooling parts. I'd take a kitchen towel after disassembling the loop to inspect the gunk/build up.

Liquid - borrow concentrated liquid
You mean Barrow instead of Borrow? Where did you source distilled water from?

 

[skulish]

Is it green or grey? Is the panel facing a window with sunlight entering it? Did you introduce a silver kill coil+PT Nuke to the coolant/mixture? Might want to list all your watercooling parts. I'd take a kitchen towel after disassembling the loop to inspect the gunk/build up.


Liquid - borrow concentrated liquid

You mean Barrow instead of Borrow? Where did you source distilled water from?

Disassembled loop - this stuff seems to be only in reservour, CPU WB dont have this stuff at all. Tried to clean this tube with soap and 95% alcohol but no effect.

Regarding sunlight - yeah it could but not for whole day. After I got it out it looks browny with darker parts and not as green as it was in water

Photos up close

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12OE7Pss-JctELQY0jumfd36HiCxLYqyi/view?usp=sharing, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lZ-UWblKSR3FahZQ1h-AlMhctF1UY4An/view?usp=sharing, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1viuZGdKJMwwLZYD89BWMThFaGK9H6JZ1/view?usp=sharing

Yeah sorry - Barrow not borrow. Distilled water from local hardware shop - according to info of the bottle its 100% distilled and can be used for a lot of stuff including concentrate dilution and preparation of chemical reactives.

I haven't mixed any other chems just Barrow liquid

Waterblock - ekwb quantum velocity 2
Pump - EKWB EK-Quantum Kinetic TBE 300 D5
Radiator - alphacool nexxxos ut60 full copper 360
MB - asus rog maximus z690 formula - WB on VRM connected to loop. According to Asus site WB there is EK CrossChill III which is made out of copper

I recehcked all parts and there should be no aluminium in the loop (somewhere I saw that D5 pumps can have aluminium dioxide somewhere but as far as I know it can't react with copper and until temp is about 900-1000 C. Plus it might be used in electonic parts)

I checked some fittings and they are also look clean.

 

[Lutfij]

That res has a stainless steel inlet feed/tube in the reservoir. You might want to see if a soapy solution helps remove what looks like oils from your hand/fingers on that inlet tube. The res bought used?

 

[letmepicyou]

That doesn't look like "gunk" per se, it looks like simple staining of the "stainless" steel. Some polishing compound or some 0000 super-fine steel wool should polish it up.

 

[skulish]

That res has a stainless steel inlet feed/tube in the reservoir. You might want to see if a soapy solution helps remove what looks like oils from your hand/fingers on that inlet tube. The res bought used?

All components are new. For first week (at least) I think everything was fine. But I probably just have not noticed. I will try one more time with soap but shouldnt alcohol help? There were nothing on rag after I tried last time

 

[skulish]

That doesn't look like "gunk" per se, it looks like simple staining of the "stainless" steel. Some polishing compound or some 0000 super-fine steel wool should polish it up.

Found this pic
https://www.agreatsink.com/wp-conte....jpg?ezimgfmt=ng:webp/ngcb1/rs:device/rscb1-1

At some point it looks like what I have. Might this be caused by barrow liquid?

 

[Karadjgne]

What exactly is the Barrow Concentrate (transparent) ?

That's not gunk. That's staining from a chemical reaction with something in the coolant. And yes, that can happen, doesn't necessarily mean there's aluminium in the loop, just means there was Something in the loop, which could be anything from a reaction with the Barrow liquid, cleaning agents used in the rads not sufficiently flushed, manufacturing oils or other compounds. You did fully clean and flush the rad before use?

I've run distilled water with EK purple dye and Primochill liquid Utopia in my loop for 18 months, Zero issues, and my pc runs 24/7. Does not require kill-coils or other biocides or other treatments.

 

[Lutfij]

That's not gunk. That's staining from a chemical reaction with something in the coolant.
This!

I asked about the coolant and additives since people mix them all together and EKWB have been known to state not to use anything beyond their coolants(which are also the same stuff you'd find on Mayhems) which tend to react badly when the loop isn't flushed properly before it's made to run full swing. Flushing the radiator is easily accomplished with hot water parsed through it. Hot/Warm distilled water to be precise, not faucet water mind you.

As for the soapy solution, use a detailing brush or a tooth brush to scrub the tube and see if the staining goes away.

 

[Karadjgne]

Soap won't touch a stain in stainless steel, if that's what that tube is. You can try 2 things, either a baking soda paste dip for 15 minutes or white vinegar. Just don't go beyond the stain, vinegar and some plastic/rubber don't go well.

Stainless steel is still steel, just mixed with a small amount of chrome. It's corrosion/oxidation resistant, not proof, as any old car bumper will attest to as well as multiple moms with stainless pots/pans.

 

[skulish]

Thanks a lot everyone I will try this out. My bad, I flushed rad one more time with "normal" water - will do it with distilled next time (still need to install second rad for gpu).

One more question. When I checked waterblock I decided to clean it with 95% alcohol (ethanol) -saw this in some vid on youtube. But foudn that it can damage nickel plating. is this safe or not?

 

[Karadjgne]

Not.
Water blocks can be cleaned with 10% white vinegar, lemon juice or coke solutions. And a soft toothbrush. Then rinse with warm, soapy water, then distilled water and dry with hairdryer on low or lint free cloth.