If you want a backyard pool, but don’t want to spend tens of thousands of dollars installing it, then a natural swimming pool is the way to go. These are an organic and popular alternative to traditional inground pools. The main difference is in the building materials used, as well as the filtration system.
A natural swimming pool can be designed to look like a classic inground pool, or it can be designed to fit in with nature and mimic a pond or lake. The biggest difference in design is with the filtration. A natural swimming pool uses plants to filter the water. Some designs will have a rim of aquatic plants, other designs have a separate plant pond that is linked to the main body of water.
The bottom of a natural pool is lined. Some people think that a natural pool is just a hole in the ground. This is not the case. The pool will be lined with natural sand, bentonite clay or else a plastic liner. There are new eco-friendly plastics which many people use. A layer of gravel needs to be placed at strategic locations to ensure that fresh water is kept in the swimming area.
The plant section needs to be about the same size as the swimming area. The plants will not float into the swimming area. Plants will be anchored either on the edge of the pool or in an adjacent pond. The plant pond must be linked with the main swimming area. A barrier will be placed between the plant section and the swimming section. This is to make sure that the plants do not move into the swimming location.
A pump will be installed to make sure that water is flowing at all times. The water needs to flow from the swimming section and into the plant section so that it can be cleaned. That pump can either be electric or solar.
When deciding on what style of natural pool you like, make sure to take into account the space needed for the plants. If you like the look of a classic pool, then you will want to have a completely separate plant pond that is only linked to the swimming section by a small channel of water. If you opt for the natural pond look, you can have plants line the edge of the pool and do not need to create an entire separate plant pool.