Yet another 'critique my setup' thread ;)
 

i'm pretty sure i've read enough details here and there to realize that in the end, swapping out a few things doesn't really make ALL that much of a difference in the end.

Here's the initial idea:
Thermochill HE130.3 (or black ice extreme III if it's better)
Eheim 1048, that new DDC, or the swiftech650 pump (whatever's quietest and powerful enough)
probably a swiftech 6002 waterblock, possibly a storm G4 if i can find one for a decent price
learning towards 1/2" tubing as hose routing won't be a problem


I'm starting to lean towards saving some money however and wondering if I should go with the heatercores over at dangerden instead of the thermochill HE120.3... if I did this I'd still want a 3 120mm fan layout, so I'd just get 1 single and 1 double heatercore and just run them together in series.. would this work alright? do you think a specific pump would be best for this layout? chances are I'd add a gpu block too to the loop, so keep that in mind in your comments. :)

thanks..

Id go for the 120.3 instead of running 2 rads, cleaner that way, actully one of the double HC's would be good as well, not as big as the tripple rads, but they do a fine job. Pump choice is tough, the MCP650 is not quiet to some, to me it is. I have no experience with the MCP350 but it claims to be very quiet. The aquaxtreme 50z is a good performing quietish pump, can be found at www.cooltechica.com this is the same pump as the discontinued MCP600. I prefer 1/2" tubing, Cathar is hell bent on 7/16" tubing and some like 3/8" tubing. For max performance go with the 1/2".

I don't know if I have a newer revision 50Z or something, but I can't hear it at all. If it weren't for touching it to feel for vibration, I wouldn't tell that it was on. Although, this was with it sitting on a towel... maybe it's louder when mounted.

yeesh.. if this is the pump you're talking about.. so much for saving some money.. hehe

if the 1048 is powerful enough, (which i really think it could in my setup since with 1/2" tubing and a HE120.3 i should have fairly low resistance) i really think it'd be the sweet spot.. i like that it's quiet and can be had for $47.. but if this mcp600 (5OZ) is really as quiet as you say it is, maybe it'd be worth the extra $$ because of the additional power.. hmm..

What's your CPU? Are you more interested in quiet or cool?

For "quietest and powerful enough," you do not want the 50z nor the D4. DDC or 1048 are both good picks. DDC's preferable for its greater head if you can spend the extra $25.

BTW, a 120.3 should have higher water-flow resistance than a double HC, since it's longer and narrower.

yeah.. cpu for now is just a P4 2.6c but will be an athlon 64 3200+ or so in the future.. i also like that that ddc would fit in a tight spot..

that's what i was thinking.. so if i went with the 120.3 the DDC would probably be better than the 1048 anyway, right?