Practical guide for building a natural swimming pool in your backyard

Guide for building a natural swimming pool in your garden or backyard

Natural swimming pool is usually found in gardens and backyards. You can build yourself, to serve as decoration pool, but restricted to swimming. For a natural pool you will not need a construction permit nor the usual technologies and materials required for a standard swimming pool. Nevertheless, this has a couple of features that make it unique. The main target for your natural swimming pool is represented by birds, insects and garden plants, however this pool will also serve as a special place for rest and relaxation.

Here are the main features and procedures for building a natural swimming pool: 

1. Natural basins, ponds, small lakes they have all biodiversity considering the several species of flowers and small animals living together. Besides the fact that such a biodiversity will highlight the organic nature of your pool, it will also ensure the necessary balance for achieving the environment-specific functions.

photo source: incredabull.org

2. Selection of your plants is essential because this will determine the ecosystem of your pool.

3. Standard water purification treatments are not required for natural swimming pools. Their function is supplied by plants and microorganisms. If you want a clean, algae-free water, it is necessary to have low phosphorus and carbon content.

4. Pool environment should be oligotroph, i.e. without nutrients that would allow algae development. Nitrogen is responsible for regulating the nutrient level, but nitrogen concentration in the water also influence development of plants that deal with natural filtration. Therefore, sometimes you have to add conventional filters that works as aids for natural filters. Conventional filters will limits phosphorus concentration and water hardness, providing a higher pH that determines an alkaline character of water while the filters regulating the carbon concentration are associated with acidic basins. 

photo source: de.bio.top

5. UV and copper salts treatments are prohibited for natural pools.

6. Due to evaporation and infiltrations, pool water level decreases and must be replenished by completing. Depending on water quality, this operation can lead to algae development. In this case, plants perspiration is important for completing.

photo source: greenbuildermedia.com

There are several types of natural pools and here is the guide for building them:

1. Pools with earth walls that can be customized. This is the most natural environment and without infiltrators, then the small lake will only be refilled from rainwater. The problem of algae development remains and we deal with it.

2. Earth wall pond, covered with waterproof foil, as sealing agent. The applied foil does not allow the development of underwater plants. To obtain natural environmental effect, artificial plants are introduced. You can also use a gravel bed, placed on pool bottom.

photo source: lucaslagoons.com

3. For larger pools, build a separation wall between zones, with the role of separating the deeper area of the pool, where you can also swim. Wall is built from concrete or natural stone. Both water areas are sealed, but wall can be installed either under the sealing foil or on top. Ypu cannot build yourself such a swimming pool, but you need to hire a company with experience in construction of larger pools. Filtratuin systems can be unstalled in pools and adjacent areas, besides heating and lighting systems.

photo source: naturalpoolsnz.com.

4. Covered pool, gives you the option of covering your water surface when not in use, limiting the effects on the environment. Another advantage of this swimming pool resides in its modest aftercare costs.

Building a natural swimming pool continues with landscaping the area. You don’t landscape pool coping around swimming for earth-walled ponds, you only have to ensure a smooth passage into the rest of your garden, without space separation. For larger pools with swimming option, you need to clad the pool coping around swimming pool with natural stone, honed finish or wood.