First, I'm going to use this thread to document my immersion (get it... immersion...) into water cooling.
 
Back around June I decided to go 3 way SLI on air with my 780 Ti's because my monitor set up could put a serious hurting on my SLI set up.  So I scrounged up a third card, bought a nice Z97 Classy to support the cards and one of those nice new 3 way bridges and then put it all together with about 3 more fans added to those already in my case.   The performance gain was very nice.  I was able to benchmarks in widescreen that I couldn't before and Ultra settings in games where I couldn't before.   Unfortunately, I also found out that 3 GPU's stacked atop on another produce a tremendous amount of heat.  And it didn't help that I had the wrong cards, perhaps if I had had reference coolers, I might have been able to pull it off, but I still would have been looking at temperatures that made me uncomfortable.
 
I still wanted/needed to go 3 way SLi or another route that gave me enough GPU horsepower to run my monitor set up.  So I had several options that I considered.

01 - Buy 2 GTX Titans.  Kind of expensive, especially when the cheapest card I've found is 985.00.
02 - Buy 3 980 Ti's.  See the reasons above about expensive.
03 - Water cool existing cards.
 
Up until this point I never saw the need to water cool.  Air cooling was more than enough for my needs and I saw water cooling as an extravagance and "gee whiz" option.  That was until I stuck 3 fire breathing cards in my case.  Now I kinda see the value in water cooling. 
 
So the last 2 months of so have been filled with research, research and more research.  Sometimes to the point where I had to actively take a break from it because it was starting to overload me.   My original plans were to only water cool the GPU's and continue to use my H100i to cool the CPU.  This was to keep complexity and expense down.  But after looking into it more, I decided that I might as well add the CPU to the loop and just be done with it.    
 
Current planned set up is two 360 radiators on a single loop cooling CPU and three 780 Ti's.   I know that's somewhat overkill in the radiator department, but I decided on that route for aesthetics.  CPU block will be EK, radiators will likely be Alphacool with rad thickness still up in the air, though dependent on fitting layout.   Still trying to decide on pump and reservoir set up and design.  Reservoir will definitely be a cylinder res, but I cant decide it I want to go with an Aquastream XT or a D5 pump/res combo.    
 
This will also mean a new case.   So I've been looking at CaseLabs to cover that aspect, trying to make up my mind between a Mercury S8S with pedestals or a Magnum M8A.   Being this is my first try, Im going to use flexible tubing.  Still undecided on fittings.  Will probably wait till the very last on those till I can figure out what the final layout will be.
 

Well, I see you jumped on it.  You will be more than happy when you see the end results.  I am planning my next build and have decided on the Caselab SMA8 case, but saw the larger STH10 in a video and it got me to thinking, but I will most likely go with the SMA8.  I too have gotten overloaded on this research, but fortunately, it's not a rush build.  I will take my time and scope out some sale items around the turkey day holiday.  I went hard tube for my 1st water loop as it just looks much cleaner.  Keep the post updated.  This should prove helpful to me and others as well.  I still have to figure out all the parts I'll need, except the radiators.
 
Good luck

@Methodical - I looked at both of those cases as well.  The STH10 is huge with tons of room for everything.   I briefly considered the STH10 because of it's roominess but I personally prefer the double wide brothers of both the SMA8 and STH10.  More room for me to bumble around in.   I love the look for rigid tubing, but since this is my first go round on a loop, I didn't want to dig myself in too deeply with the extra complexity that rigid tubing entails.  Though when done correctly (like you did) it looks so much better.   If things work out the way I envision them, I'll be making mostly short runs with my tubing so hopefully it won't look too horrible.    Eventually I'll move up to rigid tubing though once I've got the hang of things.
 
@Dave B - Thanks for the advice.   That's just what I need, another expensive hobby.   
 
Honestly I was taken aback when I started pricing out parts.
 
A BitsPower drain valve on the bottom of the reservoir was already part of my plan along with a quick disconnect for the very reasons you listed.   As for the drain tube, I'm planning on keeping a length of tubing aside with a threaded fitting installed.  That way I can just thread the fitting into the valve, open it up and drain as needed.  As for the fill port, my thoughts was that any reservoir that I get must have a top port, then I would just use a squeeze bottle of a funnel with more tubing that I could feed into the port to fill things up.   Other fittings will more than likely be Bitspower as well, though if it works like I think it should, I shouldn't need to many fancy fittings.  Though I do know that I want to use compression fittings rather than clamp style.   Mainly because I prefer the looks of the compression style over clamp fittings.    The only thing I don't like about Bitspower is the logo all over everything, but I can live with that.  
 
Reservoir will most likely be an EK X3 250.  
 
As for the pump.  Well I have always been leaning more towards the D5 rather than the Aquastream.  The D5 has an excellent reputation and is actually less complicated to use than the Aquastream.  Plus I don't need adapters for the D5 either.  My thoughts for controlling the pump was to get a PWM D5 and then hook it up to the motherboard.   Pump control is stuff that I'm still trying to learn more about and figure out.  I read lots of reviews and how to's that just say set it and forget it, but my one fear is that my set up will have too much restriction for a single pump.  
 
Radiators... I'm bouncing back and forth between the Alphacool NexXxos UT60 and the Hardware Labs Black Ice SR2.  Both have done well in all the reviews that I have read up on and both have the multiple port set up that I've been looking for.  While I assume that multiple outlets on a radiator can be potential leaks, I was looking at it from the direction that it would allow easier routing for the tubing. 
 
I have decided on a CPU block, I just haven't purchased it yet.  It will definitely be an EK-Supremecy EVO acetal+nickel.   I really like the simplistic unadorned look of the block plus it will perfectly match my GPU blocks and GPU bridge.  Hindsight being what it is, I wish I had ordered my GPU blocks in copper rather than nickel, but it's a bit too late for that.
 
I was definitely planning on just running distilled water without any dye, largely for the staining that you mentioned.  Although it might look a bit odd to have the reservoir full of clear fluid when almost every other piece in my build will be black.  As for the tubing... Well this will make Zuhl chuckle.  Or grind his teeth.  I ordered 3/8-1/2 and they sent me the 3/8-5/8 instead.  :D    But what you say about going with 1/2-3/4 makes sense and I've wondered often if I hadn't gotten too small a tubing.  Well no problem, I haven't opened the box of tubing so I'll just order another box of the larger stuff. 
 
Case will more than likely be the Magnum M8A, but that Mercury S8S keeps popping up and saying "Look at me! Look at me!".  While the Mercury case would be great for eye candy and visuals, the Magnum case has TONS of room for all my drives and also will make setting up and installing the loop easier. Plus, overall the Magnum case is smaller when you account for the extra 7" a pedestal adds to the Mercury. Plus the Magnum specs out about 100.00 cheaper.  My main goal is to hide as much of the loop as possible, though I might put the reservoir on display.  

Cooling wise, I'm still debating about push/pull vs push on the rads, but in all honesty, it will likely be push/pull.  Now don't even get me started on fans.  i know what fans I'll mount on the front, but still haven't decided what to go with on the rads.  
 
Okay, that was a lot of typing/reading.  Wake up now.  
 

Wow... Have I been slacking off on this.   I get stuck in the work/sleep grind and time slips right on by.
 
Project is still in the "Order more parts" stage.  And of course lifes little curve balls hasn't helped the project along much either.    But progress has been made.  Ordered a CaseLabs Magnum M8A case.  That's something I've wanted for a long time now and decided that I needed a Christmas present. 
 
Still need to pick up a pair of radiators, CPU block and fittings.  Oh yeah and bigger hose.   Not to mention about 300 fans.  (or so it seems whenever I do a fan count for how many I'll need).

Zuhl is 100% right.  Once you try it you won't go back. 
EK blocks are a great start, recently I have been swayed to XSPC CPU blocks, but the EVGA EK blocks are still my favorite for GPUs, basically the same as the normal EK blocks but with a different top piece for connecting the tubes, the extra 2 connections imho makes things WAY easier.  I use HWL for rads, but there are other good options too.  Hopefully you find some time to work on it over the holidays.

Hmm, wasn't planning on it, but it does make me wonder..... how did you know I was using a cloak of invisibility    (looks over shoulder to try and spot Zuhl) <.<  >.>  ^.^
 
Mine is nothing that fancy, no X99 or anything.  X79 Dark, Nateman blocks, LOTS of water, 980s, lots more water, GSkill RAM.

Zuhl3156

EVGATech_DaveB
Hmm, wasn't planning on it, but it does make me wonder..... how did you know I was using a cloak of invisibility    (looks over shoulder to try and spot Zuhl) <.<  >.>  ^.^
 
Mine is nothing that fancy, no X99 or anything.  X79 Dark, Nateman blocks, LOTS of water, 980s, lots more water, GSkill RAM.

Well, nothing listed in your Sig and no Mods Rigs page makes me start to wonder. I've never actually seen one of nateman-doo's blocks in action so yeah I'd really like to see what your PC looks like. I know it's got to be awesome and filled with EVGA's finest!

Yeah, I tend to do that.  Never use sigs that say anything aside from something humorous, don't post pics or or give info really, just kinda a private person.  But I will consider it, also mine is NOT about looks, I am 100% function over form.
 
But my build is this:
(Loop1)  XSPC Bayres with MCP655 - BI Extreme 360 (all rads are the same model, all are in P/P with Panaflo Ultra high 38mm fans) - QD4 and thermal probe - 4930K @ 4.5 with an older ApogeeHD, next time I take it apart I will upgrade it to a Raystorm Pro - NatemanDoo mobo block - QD4 and thermal probe - RAD2 - QD4 and thermal probe - Nateman Doo VRM block with custom top - QD4 and thermal probe - T junction for drain - back to bayres.
(Loop2)  XSPC bayres with MCP655 - QD4 - RAD1 - QD4 and thermal probe - 980HC - QD4 and thermal probe - RAD2 - QD4 and thermal probe - MCP655 and EK acrylic top - 980HC - 980HC - QD4 and thermal probe - T junction for drain - back to res.
My tubing is Primochill Dark blue anti microbial 1/2x3/4 with the gloss black anti-kink coils on it.  Distilled water, I have the thread in silver plugs on both loops.  Mostly using barb and clamps, never was a fan of compression fittings, I have some but not many.  Also, all thermal probes and fans are controlled by Lamptron FC5V2's, I tried V3's but I kept blowing caps off of them, V2's are ROCK solid.
 
If you would like more details, let me know.

EVGATech_DaveB
heh, kinda makes me want to go find an old 486 and make a mods rigs for that... just for the laugh  :)

That sounds like a plan. I had an old Delta Data Systems 4000 in my mom's basement. I think the processor was a 8800. It didn't have a motherboard as we know it but used something known at the time as a 'Backplane'. Every component was a modular board that plugged into the backplane.

EVGATech_DaveB
 
 
What did you think of my other post, the one above my 486 comment?

It sounds like one complex piece of functionality. Mine isn't anything pretty to look at but I tried my best to make it look at least respectable. Your setup sounds a lot like what hallowen is running.
 
No CD ROM on that Delta Data terminal. Nothing but 8" floppy drive for storage and a whopping 16 MB of system RAM.

One of the prime reasons I went with the EK stuff is I love the aesthetics of their blocks.  And I flat out love that GPU bridge they have.  Gives things an nice industrial look to it. The fact that they have an excellent reputation was just icing on the cake.   If EK was still producing the older style with all the rings on it, I probably wouldn't have chosen them for that reason.  Not a fan of that look.   Sometimes I wish that I had gotten the copper blocks instead of the nickel, but since no one can see that anyway, it doesn't really matter.
 
I resisted water cooling for a long time.  The AIO coolers are a nice in between for the average joe and in fact my Corsair H100 keeps my CPU nice and chilly.  But multi card options aren't really there.  Yes you could install multiple hybrids, but that would present somewhat of a logistical nightmare depending on what case you have at the time. 
 
Fittings still intimidate the hell out of me.  At least trying to anticipate and figure out what I'll need and where I'll need it.   CPU and GPU fittings will be simple enough to figure out, but what I'll need for the rads keeps me second guessing myself.  My plan was to do a test fit of everything and then order the fittings once I have a better idea of what I will need.   Some people have encouraged me to run a dual loop since I'll have the radiators for it, but I dont want to add that much more complexity and parts to the mix. 
 
What I do appreciate is that there are so many who are willing to offer advice and good suggestions.   I remember the "old" days when everyone wanted to keep that information like that and the whole overclocking thing to themselves.  
 

Reading the posts in this Thread reminds me of my first water cooled system I built in 2005 using an Intel 486 CPU and a couple of EVGA GTS 8800's with Zalman FC water blocks, and I just HAVE to say that was "A long time ago, In a Galaxy Far, Far Away" , But the point I'm trying to make is that since you are starting to reduce temperatures with water cooling, You are now being drawn into an area of cooling that back then I have referred to as "The Dark Side" which as you have seen corresponds to my EVGA Forum Darth Maul Avatar and "Get it Colder" attitude I have developed over the Years.
 
Eventually You will start to get Feelings of strange increasing Power as the Temperatures drop in your System and now be urged to continue your quests without regard to ever rising costs of components or the sensibility of it All.........But Then I must regress and hope that you will Enjoy as you construct your New Build. 
 

EVGATech_DaveB

hallowen
Reading the posts in this Thread reminds me of my first water cooled system I built in 2005 using an Intel 486 CPU and a couple of EVGA GTS 8800's with Zalman FC water blocks, and I just HAVE to say that was "A long time ago, In a Galaxy Far, Far Away" , But the point I'm trying to make is that since you are starting to reduce temperatures with water cooling, You are now being drawn into an area of cooling that back then I have referred to as "The Dark Side" which as you have seen corresponds to my EVGA Forum Darth Maul Avatar and "Get it Colder" attitude I have developed over the Years.
 
Eventually You will start to get Feelings of strange increasing Power as the Temperatures drop in your System and now be urged to continue your quests without regard to ever rising costs of components or the sensibility of it All.........But Then I must regress and hope that you will Enjoy as you construct your New Build. 
 

EXACTLY!
 
May the cold serve you.
 
Once you start down the COLDER path, forever will it dominate your computer, consume ALL it will, like is did Hallowen's rig!  If you choose watercooled path, as Hallowen did, you will become an agent of cold!

I remember seeing a pic of your build, Dave. Someone criticized the loop of hose in the bottom of your case. Lucky for me I'd seen that loop while I was hooking up my GPU blocks to the radiator in the bottom of my case. They were too close together and I couldn't connect the hose between the two without it kinking. So I ran a 12" piece of hose out of the radiator in a full circle before coming back around and into the GPU block. It might have looked messy but it worked.

EVGATech_DaveB
Not sure what build you are thinking of, wasn't mine.  I haven't posted build pics since it was on my 8800 and it was at OCN on a name I have not used here.  I don't even have completed pics of mine, I have a couple form the initial assembly, but not done.
You aren't the only one who has asked about mine either, not sure why there is interest in a case someone says is filled with dangling wires, zero cable management, well a little, just enough to not impede airflow, no lights, and very few logos.  Mine is bland, and a sleeper.  Like that car that is mostly straight, has soso paint, looks plain, and has a 700 horse motor hidden under the hood and quiet exhaust  :)

I don't know who it belonged to then. I know it was one of you EVGA techs. Now you got me running around all over the place trying to find where I'd seen it. But find it I will!

IDK, I thought it was in my thread about watercooling but it isn't there. I remember it saying something about not having a drain in the loop and I can relate to that since my first loop didn't have any way to drain it. I have a nice drain plug on the bottom of the Monsta 360 now. When I installed the Monsta 360 I had to tip the case forward and drain the loop through the top of my reservoir into a bucket. LOL  Here you can see the hose I had to run in a loop to join my GPU block to my radiator:
 

 

First of all, Merry Christmas!
 
Im not sure if I'll completely join the dark side, but I definitely am on the hunt for lower temps.  I'm more the type to get the system to the point that I want it and then leave it alone.  Not really much of a tinkerer or and experimenter.  Though I do appreciate those of you who are and are willing to share your successes and failures. 
 
I remember thinking back in the early days when I saw those first water cooled systems  First thought was... .  Water in a computer? Yeah, that'll work well.   Well obviously it did as it's become far more mainstream than I think many of us anticipated it would.  At least I didn't.  And I actually never thought I would every feel the need to water cool anything as up to this point all my builds were easily able to maintain safe temps air cooled. 
 
But then I started a cascading effect in my quest for better and better resolution and graphics.   I've run SLI since I got my GTX260's.  I added a 30" monitor to my 24" monitor and ran dual monitors for several years.  The 30" was awesome for gaming, but I kept looking at all these 3 monitor widescreen setups.  So I sold the 24 and 30 and bought three 27" 2560x1440 monitors.   By then I was running my 780Ti's in SLi and quickly discovered that 7680x1440 at high to ultra settings can put a serious hurt on an SLI set up, even with some of the best cards on the market in place.  
 
Options were to back off on my visual settings or get more GPU power.  Being a reasonable and rational person, I opted to add a third card to the mix.  No way was I going to back off a few settings to medium or even high.  The result of that attempt is the beginning of this thread.  First time in my life I've ever seen a GPU reach thermal shut down.    So it was as I mentioned in the 1st post.  Buy bigger cards, which wouldn't actually solve my problem or bite the bullet and go water cooled.  And here I am.