16 March, 2015
A new pool is an awesome addition to any yard, but it can be a little anxiety-inducing. We totally understand – it’s an expensive project, and it’s not an easy one to reverse. That being said, adding a new swimming pool to the backyard is incredibly exciting – for you, for the kids, and for all your friends. There’s a pool option you may not have considered, though: a natural one. Eco friendly and easy to maintain, they’ve been popular since the ’80s, but they’re just becoming popular even more now. They rely entirely on a biological pump that filters through the water and incorporate a gorgeous spread of wetland plants. Many people are on the fence about them, though. Aren’t they dirty? Won’t they be time-consuming to maintain? The answer to both is no – and here’s why.
How do they stay clean?
Natural pools are able to stay clean using plants and sand filters instead of chemicals like chlorine. The benefits are abundant: They’re healthier for your skin, hair and nails, and there’s no risk of ingesting the toxic chemicals. Instead, regeneration zones are set up around the perimeter and then filled with a variety of plants and a bed of gravel, which oxygenate the pool and support all kinds of good bacteria. Generally speaking, a specialist will choose a mix of plants for you.
In the middle of the natural pool is the swimming zone, which is far deeper than the regeneration zone. Usually these pools will have skimmers and UV light filters to help keep the water even cleaner, and they never technically need to be drained.
One major concern for people building natural pools: Animals. While it is true that small creatures like frogs and bugs will inhabit the wetland plants in the regenerative zone, they don’t enter the swimming area at all – and better yet, they eat up all those pesky mosquitos.
What do they look like?
These kinds of pools can look like anything you want – a standard backyard pool, a pond, or a sand-lined beach. It all depends on the size, shape and style of your backyard. For example, had you wanted to build a natural pool with glass walls, you could have also done that. However, for that, you would need knowledge about installing the right kind of pool fence glass. Remember that natural pools can be rendered in any size you like, meaning you can still build one if you have a smaller yard. One thing to keep in mind, though: Natural pools are larger than their traditional counterparts due to the regeneration zones.
The nature of these pools means that you can also choose any basin material you like as well. When you think “natural pool,” you may think of a muddy bottom, but it certainly doesn’t have to be. You can build your pool out of the exact same material as you would if you were building a traditional pool.
Remember, when you are building a pool, adhere to the local rules of your country. For example, Australia has specific requirements that says installed pool fences should be at least 48-inches high from finished ground level, as measured along the outside of the fence, and should have no more than a two-inch gap from the bottom of the fence the ground. You could browse for keywords like “pool fence regulations melbourne” or any other regions for more information like this.
How much do they cost?
Natural pools are similarly priced to traditional pools. Think of it like this: What you lose in chemical costs, you make up for in plant costs. You’ll have to keep up the water garden and add new plants every once in a while, but maintenance times are pretty similar as well. Natural pools are constructed in the same manner as traditional swimming pools. You may need to hire an excavation company, such as GBC Excavating, to dig the ground over which the pool can be built and then employ a reputable swimming pool construction firm to build it. But it’s very likely that it’d all be worth it in the end.
These pools get bad rap, but there are so many benefits. When you’re weighing the pros and cons of natural versus traditional, there’s just one thing to keep in mind: It’s a pool, not a pond. Your outdoor furniture will look just as great situated next to it, though.
