Production Aquanaut Basic/Extreme - Ultra Low Profile CPU Block & Pump Mount Combo

Nouvolo

Creator
Original poster
Sep 8, 2018
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www.nouvolo.com
Any news or ETA on intel lga1700 mounting hardware?
Waiting for samples from suppliers.

Will offer as free to previous Aq Extreme buyers, but needs to pay for shipping costs. Hope I can get it down to around USD10... can only confirm after I have the actual sample.

Note that there will be motherboards with elongated holes to allow 115X base plate to fit as well.
 
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thoughtfix

Cable-Tie Ninja
Jun 18, 2019
148
212
I have a lot of work left on my build, but it has fluid in it:


Do not think that the "fill port" is any good at filling without a reservoir. Bleeding air was a nightmare. It's best practice to put your reservoir inline with your inlet. If I were to rebuild/rebend tube for this build, I'd have a T-junction to the fillport with some (any) kind of spot to catch air built in.

That said, it's a very good solution for this loop still. Impressive performance.
 

NiiRoZz

Efficiency Noob
Oct 15, 2021
7
4
Waiting for samples from suppliers.

Will offer as free to previous Aq Extreme buyers, but needs to pay for shipping costs. Hope I can get it down to around USD10... can only confirm after I have the actual sample.

Note that there will be motherboards with elongated holes to allow 115X base plate to fit as well.
I think, all ASUS motherboards announced have elongated holes to allow a 115x base plate. But maybe the lga1700 base plate will be better?
 

Valantar

Shrink Ray Wielder
Jan 20, 2018
2,201
2,225
I digress, most of them will be pcie 5.0 slot also, wonder any issues with riser cables again... guess only time will tell...
Yep,almost definitely, as PCIe 5.0 has even worse signal integrity than 4.0, and needs retimers instead of just redrivers on the motherboard - might we then be looking at active/retimer-equipped risers next? Still, that's only on future PCIe 5.0 GPUs though, so nothing for a while yet. A "force PCIe 4.0 mode" (or even 3-pin "force 4.0/3.0") jumper on the motherboard would be nice though. Shouldn't be too hard to implement, or require too much board space.
 

spdfrek

Trash Compacter
Nov 26, 2019
36
64
Recieved my aquanaut not to long ago, my 10900k was out for delidding as well, and it showed up yesterday. I stripped my build out of the case and set everything up on the workbench so I could swap blocks easily. Gpu/cpu load is provided by kombuster cpu burner using 18 of the 20 threads available, and Unigine Heaven looping on the gpu. Cpu is held to 97-100% usage, and gpu runs 96-98%.

Push/pull noctua a12x25’s on hardware labs gtr 280 radiator. Delidded 10900k, 4.9ghz all core. 3080ti fe with ek block 114% power limit, stock clocks. Swiftech mcp35x pump. Fans were run at full speed, pump around 3000rpm. Aquareo 6 xt is what I used to monitor radiator intake/exhaust temps as well as loop temp while testing on the bench. In previous testing I found an ekwb supremacy evo to be the same temps as the apogee drive II when run using the mcp35x as a stand alone pump. I didn’t retest the supremacy on the 10900k however.

The aquanaut extreme was the quietest of the three, but both aquanaut units run quieter then the apogee. The apogee has a noticeable sound to it as the pump spins up. That’s much quieter on the aquanaut’s.

After some previous testing I decided to monitor loop and air temps along with components to make a bit more complete picture for everyone. It’s not calibrated high end gear, but I worked with what I had! Subtract intake temps from loop or cpu/gpu temps if you want deltas.


Apogee drive II, 51/63c GPU/cpu, intake 22c, exhaust 31.6c, loop 33.1c

Aquanaut, 50/74c, GPU/cpu, intake 22c, exhaust 31.6c, loop 32.8c

Aquanaut extreme 51/68c, GPU/cpu, intake 22c, exhaust 31.7c, loop 33c
 

Nouvolo

Creator
Original poster
Sep 8, 2018
759
1,712
www.nouvolo.com
Recieved my aquanaut not to long ago, my 10900k was out for delidding as well, and it showed up yesterday. I stripped my build out of the case and set everything up on the workbench so I could swap blocks easily. Gpu/cpu load is provided by kombuster cpu burner using 18 of the 20 threads available, and Unigine Heaven looping on the gpu. Cpu is held to 97-100% usage, and gpu runs 96-98%.

Push/pull noctua a12x25’s on hardware labs gtr 280 radiator. Delidded 10900k, 4.9ghz all core. 3080ti fe with ek block 114% power limit, stock clocks. Swiftech mcp35x pump. Fans were run at full speed, pump around 3000rpm. Aquareo 6 xt is what I used to monitor radiator intake/exhaust temps as well as loop temp while testing on the bench. In previous testing I found an ekwb supremacy evo to be the same temps as the apogee drive II when run using the mcp35x as a stand alone pump. I didn’t retest the supremacy on the 10900k however.

The aquanaut extreme was the quietest of the three, but both aquanaut units run quieter then the apogee. The apogee has a noticeable sound to it as the pump spins up. That’s much quieter on the aquanaut’s.

After some previous testing I decided to monitor loop and air temps along with components to make a bit more complete picture for everyone. It’s not calibrated high end gear, but I worked with what I had! Subtract intake temps from loop or cpu/gpu temps if you want deltas.


Apogee drive II, 51/63c GPU/cpu, intake 22c, exhaust 31.6c, loop 33.1c

Aquanaut, 50/74c, GPU/cpu, intake 22c, exhaust 31.6c, loop 32.8c

Aquanaut extreme 51/68c, GPU/cpu, intake 22c, exhaust 31.7c, loop 33c
Seems performance is ok in open workbench environment. A good top line reference benchmark.

Seems ventilation restriction could cause unfavourable results for some. Lets include rig setup details with temp results also from now on. We will be better informed with more transparencies in test methodology.
 

thoughtfix

Cable-Tie Ninja
Jun 18, 2019
148
212
Here's what I ended up with and it turns out to be WAY easier to fill when attached to an external reservoir (and tipped up so that air goes up to the reservoir, then turned around a lot to get the bubbles out of the radiator and GPU and such many times over several hours:


I capped the top inlet port, but left a dual 45 degree rotary fitting in the bottom port for when it is time to drain the system.

For those wanting to find the build log and see other posts, I am going to put a lot more in this thread:
 

LucyMorn

Trash Compacter
Nov 2, 2021
43
15
noob question, hope I wont offend @Nouvolo, What's the difference between this solution which requires a pump to that Barrow solution all in one (which costs less WITH a pump)?
 

Nouvolo

Creator
Original poster
Sep 8, 2018
759
1,712
www.nouvolo.com
noob question, hope I wont offend @Nouvolo, What's the difference between this solution which requires a pump to that Barrow solution all in one (which costs less WITH a pump)?
Some differences :
  • Barrow block is higher profile, the ports are near same height as the pump top. Add another 30mm after you add adapters to it.
  • Barrow block is reverse flow & likely non-jet flow type. (lesser thermal performance)
  • Aq Extreme cold plate is bigger with big and denser fin stacks (best in class). Fin stacks covering the biggest CPU IHS. (better thermal performance). Fin stack coverage 40x40mm
  • Aq Extreme jet flow design
  • Aq Extreme mix & match your own pump. Include vs exclude pumps, always going to have somebody complain both ways
 

Nouvolo

Creator
Original poster
Sep 8, 2018
759
1,712
www.nouvolo.com
noob question, hope I wont offend @Nouvolo, What's the difference between this solution which requires a pump to that Barrow solution all in one (which costs less WITH a pump)?
in short Barrow is not really designed for SFF (this community), due to its height profile, more for standard (non-sandwich) tower cases.
 

Valantar

Shrink Ray Wielder
Jan 20, 2018
2,201
2,225
I've also seen reports of the Barrow producing very little flow, due to a combination of a restrictive reverse flow layout and a relatively weak pump.
 

NiiRoZz

Efficiency Noob
Oct 15, 2021
7
4
Thanks!
Do you know when you will start including Intel 12xxx mounting with the block?
The mounting bracket is already compatible with LGA1700, so Intel 12th gen. I think the website is already updated with this information. There is no need for a new bracket.
 

MozzieT

Efficiency Noob
Jul 15, 2021
7
1
What's the likelihood of the Aquanaut Extreme seeing some black friday action 🧐
My 12900k arrives at the end of the month so my mind's telling me wait... but my body, my boooddy is telling me buy-it-now 😅