Have you ever thought of having a swimming pool in the garden but are put off by the thought of endless cleaning, using chemicals, and high water consumption?
With sustainability and environmental concerns at the forefront of their minds, many people are choosing a natural pool instead.
Getting back to nature
Key benefits
- Kinder on the skin and eyes – perfect for when the kids are splashing about
- Creating a safe haven for plants and wildlife – natural habitats are increasingly at risk so why not make an oasis in your garden?
- Longer life of liner and other pool equipment – chemicals degrade your conventional pool but this is not a problem with a natural pool.
- Reduced water consumption – a natural pool need only be topped up if the water evaporates. Every couple of years it will require a full water change, but when that happens, the chemical-free water can be used safely on your garden.
- Energy efficiency – not all natural pools use a pump but those that do use smaller pumps because the water need not be mixed as much as in a conventional pool. Conventional pool pumps are bigger and use more energy because they need to work harder at filtering.
- Saves money – after the initial outlay, running costs are cheaper because of lower energy costs, lower water consumption and no use of expensive chemicals.
- Visual appearance – a natural pool blends into your garden and looks much like a garden pond.
How does a natural pool work?
A natural pool uses the pool walls, plants and filters to keep the water clean. One important thing to bear in mind that natural pools require one area to be sectioned off as the filtration area – in other words you have a swim zone and a plant zone, Bear this in mind if you only have a small space for a pool. If you are short of space you can install a mechanical biofilter instead of having a plant zone. However, for many people a big part of the appeal of a natural pool is having the plants around the pool. You should also check what kind of water you have in your area as this can decide whether you need a pump or can just rely on the plants to filter the water.
With a conventional in-ground pool, you dig a hole and the pool structure is built in the hole. The pool sides must be sloped. With natural pools, you just dig a hole and no structure is needed. A liner is inserted and a layer of gravel is added, which plays an important role in the growth of friendly bacteria. Since the pool sides are sloped, you also need to think about how you will get in and out of the pool. Some people add steps, others decking that allows you to get in past the sloped part. You can find lots of ideas online for how you can design your pool area. If you have a company create your pool, they can advise you.
Chemical-free pools use perennial plants and water flora. You can use a variety of types of water plants: submerged (plants whose roots are below the surface), emergent (e.g. reeds), floating plants and marginal plants (ones that go at the pool edge). From a sustainability point of view, choose plants that are suited to your geographic location.
Although initial outlay is generally more than for a conventional pool, the savings come in maintenance and energy consumption. There are even companies that can convert an existing conventional pool to a natural pool.
And if you’d like to try out a natural pool before you decide, why not book a stay at our rental property in Reka, Slovenia? This spacious property has a beautiful natural pool that’s just perfect for cooling off on hot summer days.
Try before you buy
