Welding Tips and Tricks

My Tig cooler developed growth over about a year, likely fungal ...I procrastinated and then one of my quick disconnects developed a leak...likely from electrolysis . I Took everything apart, cleaned and am almost done repairing everything.
When I dumped the tank, the water was very cloudy and I had residue on the tank sides. I will be cleaning out the lines on a pail next . I've got 9 gallons of distilled water but i'm thinking about some kind of anti fungal / anti bacterial for the water . The smell was stinky like feet ...probably fungal but i donno. I had about 10% RV antifreeze in there , im going with just straight distilled this time. The glycols in the RV stuff is likely what the germs grew in .

Anyway, I was thinking about adding something used in aquariums to prevent fungus but not sure.
Anyone use an anti fungal in their coolers ? Please comment .

Thanks , Steve
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The cloudy crap is a definite sign of electrolysis. You might try adding an sacrificial anode rod in your tank. Or someplace you can monitor the decay rate.

I had a chrome plated socket over the intake hose as a weight to keep it near the bottom . That socket looked like it was at the bottom of the ocean for a few hundred years ...about 1/8" was eaten away all the way around it . I was careful to use only stainless everywhere this time . Even the 10-32 bolts that hold the pump to the lid were corroded . The stainless was fine.
I understand the clouds being the dissolved corrosion , but the smell was definitely some kind of growth.
I'd like to prevent that this time .
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You could try adding some hydrogen peroxide once a month or so. It's a great antifungal but it degrades fairly rapidly. Just make sure you run your cooler for about 20 minutes after you add it. It's gonna turn into H2O after that.
Other than that you can do what I did and just pony up the cash for a couple of gallons of miller coolant. It's qbout $45/galon but you aren't going to have any problems associated with using it.

Miller coolmate 10 yrs city tap water and green ethylene glycol AF 50/50 mix never been added to or changed,still nice green clear -20* protection. Lots of 250+ plus amp welding.
K.I.S.S.

I should have used the toxic stuff ...haha . I think the RV antifreeze caused the growth .

Check with any place that does water treatment for boilers or cooling towers. They will have some additives that will inhibit corrosion and keep the alge and bacteria away. For a system that small it will only take a few drops.

Rv antifreeze from Wal-Mart. Its pink do not dilute been using it for years with 0 problems kiss

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