Cleaning system of bio stuff

CheeseBall · 05-13-2003, 04:58 PM

I'm ALMOST ready to assemble my water rig, but while I was making and compiling all my parts I have played w/ them using just tap water. Our well water has a relatively high amount of bacteria so I would like to flush and kill absolutely anything in there WHILE leak testing it. Do I have to worry about corrotion or when I add the zerex will that get rid of anything that has started?

I read the "flushing your cooling system" article here, and he used alot of hydragen peroxide. I would like to use some but not pure H2O2. So I am wondering if I can just mix some H2O2 w/ tap water to flush or should I use distilled? Also, can I add some alcohol to that mix also? Anything else I should mix in?

Thanks for any suggestions.

bigben2k · 05-13-2003, 05:03 PM

Airspirit's efforts would probably come in handy, but may be overkill here.

CheeseBall · 05-13-2003, 07:44 PM

Ok, here's some specific questions.

Does H2O2 leave a surface residue or something?
Can I mix alcohol and H2O2? Is there any advantage to using both?
What should I add to my system when I'm ready to rock and roll? Airspirit mentions sanitizer for spas.
Lastely should I clean and flush w/ tap or distilled?

If Pine Sol is the best then I'll have to pick some up, I just don't have any.

Pheonix · 05-14-2003, 04:03 AM

Hydrogen Peroxide just breaks down into H2O and and extra O so I can't really see if leavingt a residue!

airspirit · 05-14-2003, 08:31 AM

Hydrogen Peroxide will react strongly with copper. I looked into it until I found a mix warning on an MSDS from Berkeley. Don't use that under any circumstances.

The best stuff to prevent gunk is that sanitizer stuff for hot tubs (non chlorine non bromine). It will not hurt your system and will keep the stuff from growing. Add it in a 5-10% concentration if you're REALLY paranoid.

airspirit · 05-14-2003, 08:34 AM

Oh, and when I flush, I just use tap water. Since it won't be in long, I can't justify using more expensive distilled water in it.

If you are going to be using well water, you may want to be aware that it isn't bacteria that will be your worst enemy: it will be scale. You may want to look at some of the antifreeze products that have high anti-scale properties. I hear that the Dex-Cool line of antifreezes are good at this (and it is a wicked orange color in your machine).

CheeseBall · 05-16-2003, 08:09 PM

I picked up some algecide. Is that the sanitizer stuff? Will this take care of everything I don't want? It says the active ingredient are poly [oxyethylene (dimethyliminio) ethylene (dimethyliminio) ethylene dichloride].

Reminder: I am not dealing w/ a current problem, just preventing and making sure everything from my short-term tap water use is dead.

Thanks for all the help

redleader · 05-18-2003, 03:02 PM

Use distilled. Well water is going to have tons of minerals in it.

CheeseBall · 05-18-2003, 06:51 PM

Yes I am definately using distilled, I was just leak testing w/ my well water.

redleader · 05-19-2003, 01:09 AM

I did the airspirit method today. It worked pretty well, but my tubes were solid green from some sort of organic film. Now they're green tinted, but clear.

05-13-2003, 04:58 PM	#1
CheeseBall Cooling Savant Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Colorado Posts: 176	Cleaning system of bio stuff I'm ALMOST ready to assemble my water rig, but while I was making and compiling all my parts I have played w/ them using just tap water. Our well water has a relatively high amount of bacteria so I would like to flush and kill absolutely anything in there WHILE leak testing it. Do I have to worry about corrotion or when I add the zerex will that get rid of anything that has started? I read the "flushing your cooling system" article here, and he used alot of hydragen peroxide. I would like to use some but not pure H2O2. So I am wondering if I can just mix some H2O2 w/ tap water to flush or should I use distilled? Also, can I add some alcohol to that mix also? Anything else I should mix in? Thanks for any suggestions.

05-13-2003, 05:03 PM	#2
bigben2k Responsible for 2% of all the posts here. Join Date: May 2002 Location: Texas, U.S.A. Posts: 8,302	Airspirit's efforts would probably come in handy, but may be overkill here. __________________ WBTA (Water Block Testing Alliance) Nordic Hardware WC 101

05-14-2003, 04:03 AM	#4
Pheonix Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: South West UK Posts: 17	Hydrogen Peroxide just breaks down into H2O and and extra O so I can't really see if leavingt a residue! __________________ ------------- www.pc-arena.net -------------

05-14-2003, 08:31 AM	#5
airspirit Been /.'d... have you? Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Moscow, ID Posts: 1,986	Hydrogen Peroxide will react strongly with copper. I looked into it until I found a mix warning on an MSDS from Berkeley. Don't use that under any circumstances. The best stuff to prevent gunk is that sanitizer stuff for hot tubs (non chlorine non bromine). It will not hurt your system and will keep the stuff from growing. Add it in a 5-10% concentration if you're REALLY paranoid. __________________ #!/bin/sh {who;} {last;} {pause;} {grep;} {touch;} {unzip;} mount /dev/girl -t {wet;} {fsck;} {fsck;} {fsck;} {fsck;} echo yes yes yes {yes;} umount {/dev/girl;zip;} rm -rf {wet.spot;} {sleep;} finger: permission denied

05-14-2003, 08:34 AM	#6
airspirit Been /.'d... have you? Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Moscow, ID Posts: 1,986	Oh, and when I flush, I just use tap water. Since it won't be in long, I can't justify using more expensive distilled water in it. If you are going to be using well water, you may want to be aware that it isn't bacteria that will be your worst enemy: it will be scale. You may want to look at some of the antifreeze products that have high anti-scale properties. I hear that the Dex-Cool line of antifreezes are good at this (and it is a wicked orange color in your machine). __________________ #!/bin/sh {who;} {last;} {pause;} {grep;} {touch;} {unzip;} mount /dev/girl -t {wet;} {fsck;} {fsck;} {fsck;} {fsck;} echo yes yes yes {yes;} umount {/dev/girl;zip;} rm -rf {wet.spot;} {sleep;} finger: permission denied

05-13-2003, 07:44 PM	#3
CheeseBall Cooling Savant Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Colorado Posts: 176	Ok, here's some specific questions. Does H2O2 leave a surface residue or something? Can I mix alcohol and H2O2? Is there any advantage to using both? What should I add to my system when I'm ready to rock and roll? Airspirit mentions sanitizer for spas. Lastely should I clean and flush w/ tap or distilled? If Pine Sol is the best then I'll have to pick some up, I just don't have any.

05-16-2003, 08:09 PM	#7
CheeseBall Cooling Savant Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Colorado Posts: 176	I picked up some algecide. Is that the sanitizer stuff? Will this take care of everything I don't want? It says the active ingredient are poly [oxyethylene (dimethyliminio) ethylene (dimethyliminio) ethylene dichloride]. Reminder: I am not dealing w/ a current problem, just preventing and making sure everything from my short-term tap water use is dead. Thanks for all the help

05-18-2003, 03:02 PM	#8
redleader Thermophile Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: The deserts of Tucson, Az Posts: 1,264	Use distilled. Well water is going to have tons of minerals in it.

05-18-2003, 06:51 PM	#9
CheeseBall Cooling Savant Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Colorado Posts: 176	Yes I am definately using distilled, I was just leak testing w/ my well water.

05-19-2003, 01:09 AM	#10
redleader Thermophile Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: The deserts of Tucson, Az Posts: 1,264	I did the airspirit method today. It worked pretty well, but my tubes were solid green from some sort of organic film. Now they're green tinted, but clear.

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