Puget Aquarium DIY Kit Mini ITX Assembly Instructions Manual page 2

Read Before Building Your Aquarium PC
Test your hardware before submerging.
The last thing you want is to find out you have a bad stick of memory once it is already covered in oil! Make sure to test
everything thoroughly -- it will save you a lot of headache in the future.
Check that none of the power/data cables use rubber insulation.
Some heatsinks (specifically newer Intel Stock CPU Coolers) user rubber insulation instead of the more common plastic insula-
tion. This gives the cables more flexibility, but since rubber quickly degrades in mineral oil the insulation can dissolve in a mat-
ter of days. This can very easily cause wires to come into contact with each other causing the system to short out. If you are not
sure of the insulation material, we recommend submerging part of the wire in mineral oil for at least 48 hours. If the insulation
appears degraded, use an alternative component with different wire insulation material.
Do not allow the oil to get above 50C
The aquarium tank will develop cracks if exposed to too high of temperatures. Make sure your radiator has adequate airflow to
keep your aquarium running cool. The tank is rated for up to 50C, so allowing the oil to get above this temperature puts the
tank at risk of cracking. For reference, 50C is roughly the same as the hottest water you should be able to get out of your tap.
Clean everything before submerging.
Make sure that there is no dust on any of the hardware that is going to be used in the system, especially if the hardware has
been used before. Even a small amount of dust can make the mineral oil cloudy. If you are using aquarium rocks, be sure to ash
your rocks before putting them in the aquarium! They are often covered in dust and other particles, which can cause your
aquarium to look cloudy. Put them in a towel, and rinse them off in a sink, then spread them out and allow them time to thor-
oughly dry before adding them to your aquarium.
Do not power on the pump until it is filled with oil.
The pump will burn out if there is no liquid to provide resistance and cooling. If you need to test the system once installed but
before filled, simply unplug the pump before powering the system on.
Do not over-tighten the screws.
Acrylic will crack if the screws are over-tightened. You want the screws to be tightened until they are just a little beyond snug.
Do not overfill the aquarium.
Mineral oil will expand slightly as it heats up, so be sure to only fill the aquarium to within a few inches of the top. You should
also avoid filling the aquarium to the point that the motherboard ports (keyboard, LAN, etc.) are submerged to help
prevent the oil from wicking along the cables.
Use wireless devices whenever possible.
Mineral oil will wick along any cables it comes into contact with. Due to the potential mess this may cause, we recommend
using wireless devices whenever possible.