[Cmoney]

Ok...so I need some suggestions on my first serious water cooling setup. I am in the process of meticulously planning everything and this is what I have come up with:

-XSPC Dual 5.25" Bay - DDC Dual Pump / Dual Split Reservoirs
-2 x Switftech MCP350
-Black Ice GT Stealth 280 Radiator (4x140mm fans P=>P)
-EK Supreme HF Full Nickel CPU Block
-EK-FB ASUS Crosshair 4 - Acetal + Nickel MB Block
**Suggestions are welcome on better options for my sig rig; noting that the 650D will only fit the RS rads, not the RX or XTs**

1) I planned on this setup, knowing that once I upgrade my video card I will be wanting to add a GPU block as well (In the mean-time I would run one loop for the CPU, and one for the MB block). Would it be necessary to have 2 pumps (not necessarily 2 separate loops) to run the CPU, MB, and a single GPU loop? Could I get away with the Res/Pump that comes with the RASA 750 RS240 kit to run the three blocks in a loop?

2) Also, when I add the GPU block I will need to add another radiator to the mix at that point... I am thinking about one of the 200mm extreme rads that I saw in a 650D mod here on OCN... would the 280 and a 200 be sufficient for the 3 blocks and a possible future Crossfire upgrade?

3) Would I be better off running a single big loop with multiple pumps, or two separate loops with separate pumps and rads? If I were to run separate loops, would it be best to run the CPU on its own loop, and then put the MB and GPUs on the other... or would another combination be best?

4) What type of tubing, compression fitting/barbs, and "coolant" do you recommend (black or red theme pls)?

I welcome any and all cometary... I will probably not be ordering any of this for at least a month, and in the mean time I want to optimize my setup based on suggestions I get from the community here. Rep will be given to anyone who directly answers any of my questions. Thanks

 

[Arksniper]

1.) 1 355 can handle a cpu/chipset/gpu block np. The Rasa 750 pump does not have enough umph to get through the chipset block due to its high restriction.

2.) Generally you want 1.5 rad spaces per component so a 480 equivalent in push/pull will be ok but in just push or pull temps might be a little hotter than desired. As for crossfire you might need to add a 3rd rad.

3.) Its easier to run them all on one loop with dual serial pumps you can grab tops to put the 355s into a serial setup but that might only be necessary after you add the 2nd gpu if at all.

4.) Tubing you can grab primochill uv red or just black tubing. Fittings imo compressions look the best but are expensive as hell. Coolants just use distilled water and a kill coil/pt nuke. Don't bother with coolants like Fesser One etc... The last thing you want is to have the dye degrade and separate staining your blocks and gunking them up.

The only foreseeable issue I can tell you right off the bat is finding places to put your rads once you start upgrading and adding rads. You might want to loop at external mounts and rad boxes you would be better off grabbing 2 RX 360s with like 1500 rpm fans and running them outside the case in a rad enclosure or something along those lines. That is just an idea to consider aside from upgrading your case or having to mod/sacrifice proper cooling in your current case since you are going to be spending probably 1K on this loop in the end.

 

[Cmoney]

Thanks for taking the time to reply in such detail. After taking your considerations I think I will opt to save myself some money. I will stay away from crossfire in this case... so that will save all the issues with two pumps and a 3rd rad. So maybe I will consider doing a single 355 with an EK Dual Bay SPIN Reservoir... as for the rads, I need to do some more thinking. I really don't want to mount anything externally, but I have a lot of space inside my case because I removed one of the HDD cages(I only plan on use 3 drives max). I am going to take some measurements of the bottom of my case and see what I have to work with for use-able space for the second rad.

 

[Zaiber]

Don't get a rad that uses 140mm fans, there's not as many good (if any) 140mm fans as there are 120mm fans.