A few summers ago, we suggested how plan for a family getaway, seven towns and / or natural landscapes of our geography with natural freshwater pools. Natural pools that you could also enjoy in your garden. An uncommon alternative that you probably haven't considered, are we wrong?
If you have a large garden and do not have a pool to suffocate the high summer temperatures, it is likely that you have considered installing one. There are many options, although few are those that contemplate the natural pools in the garden. An alternative that provides a unique experience, totally different from that of built-in or prefabricated swimming pools.
What is a natural pool?
A natural pool is nothing but a ecosystem that thrives on the nature that surrounds them and in which the water is kept naturally clean, thanks to the purifying power of certain plants and microorganisms and relying on innovative technological systems.
The creation of a natural pool requires a major prior study. A study that will require a significant initial investment and in which the physical environment and the uniform environmental conditions that this specific physical space provides to the set of flora and fauna that inhabit it will be analyzed.
Then, trying to emulate a natural pond, the natural garden pools are designed with irregular shapes and shallower and deeper areas to blend into the landscape. Approximately 20-30% of its surface will be allocated to the regeneration area, the area in which most of the aquatic plants that will contribute to the Water treatment with the help of a pump, and the remaining volume to the swimming area. Measures that usually require a minimum total size of 18m2.
Advantages and disadvantages
Those with a certain concern to look for more environmentally friendly alternatives will find in the natural garden pools a great ally to enjoy a pleasant dip in summer and a single but, the investment necessary for its construction.
Advantages
- Integration into the landscape. Such a pool will seem like it has always been there.
- Respectful with the environment. Natural pools are nourished by what surrounds them. Plants and microorganisms are integrated into it, making them a living space. In addition, they can be useful if they have the adequate depth of home for some varieties of cold-water fish. Koi fish and goldfish are some of the most popular, as they resist low temperatures and are very long-lived.
- No toxic. Natural garden pools emulate ponds and lakes, using the purifying power of plants and microorganisms to keep the water clean, clear and healthy. They thus dispense with the chemicals that in conventional swimming pools are responsible for killing microorganisms in the water such as phytoplankton and bacteria.
- maintenance. A natural pool requires less maintenance than a traditional pool. No chemicals are handled and no drain pumps are required for annual repairs or cleanings, which add to the cost of maintenance. However, if it is necessary to take care of the plants and remove the leaves so that they do not accumulate, as in a garden.
Disadvantages
- The investment. Among the disadvantages, the greatest is the investment it requires. There is little information in this regard, but from what we have been able to know if its design and construction is contracted to a specialized company, a natural pool or basic bio-pool of 18m2 it would range between € 8000 and € 12000, ascending this when increasing the size and the technification.
- The land. You cannot build a natural pool on any terrain and you will need a minimum space for it, about 20m2.
Creating a natural pool, contrary to what you might think, does not consist of digging a piece of land and placing plants and rocks that purify the water and integrate it into the ground, respectively. If we want to enjoy natural pools in the garden with minimal maintenance and clean water without the presence of toxins, we must pay attention to both the study of the land and its subsequent design.