Natural swimming pool | Swimming pool in the garden? Why a natural swimming pond is a better alternative!

A pool can be placed anywhere, so whether you're looking are looking for an indoor pool or an outdoor pool, both are possible. Swimming is a sport where you burn a lot of calories because you use almost every muscle in your body. Owning a pool or swimming pond gives a sense of freedom because swimming evokes a vacation feeling in many people.

All about swimming pools and natural pools

• The difference between a swimming pool and a swimming pond
• Advantages and disadvantages of a swimming pool and a swimming pond
• Building a natural swimming pool in four easy steps
• Aquatic plants for a natural pool
• The best place for a natural swimming pool

The difference between a swimming pool and a swimming pond

In the hot summer months, it is nice to cool off in a pool of water. Many people immediately think of the sea or a swimming pool. This is not surprising because pools are everywhere and there are many different types of pools such as a subtropical pool or a tropical pool. A natural pool is a beautiful and environmentally friendly alternative for your garden if you are looking for a place to swim.

Which pool is best for your garden depends on how much land you have and how big your budget is. In the case of people with small gardens, an inflatable pool is the best pool to buy.

If you like more of a natural effect in your garden, it is best to build a swimming pond in the garden. This natural pond contains natural water which means that no chlorine is used, which is the case with a swimming pool.

Also, a swimming pond requires much less maintenance than a pool because it is a natural water source and a swimming pond is a lot cheaper to build and maintain.

Normal pool or sustainable natural swimming pond advantages and disadvantages at a glance

Disadvantages of a non-natural pool:

1. Your pool needs regular cleaning which takes a lot of time.
2. A water pump and a chlorination system must be purchased to keep the pool water clear and clean, unfortunately these resources are expensive to purchase and consume a lot of electricity.
3. Chlorine must be added to pool water to keep pool water healthy. Chlorine is not good for the skin because it contains chemicals.
4. Animals that end up in the pool have difficulty getting out of it because of the straight walls a pool has.

Advantages of a natural swimming pond:

1. For nature lovers, a swimming pond is ideal because it can be seamlessly integrated into your garden due to the natural look a swimming pond has.
2. A swimming pond costs on average about 40,000 euros less in construction, this make swimming ponds a great alternative for people looking for a cost-saving alternative.
3. A swimming pond requires little to no maintenance and no chlorine derivatives need to be added to the water to keep it healthy. In fact, filtering water is done by planting different types of aquatic plants in the pond, which makes the swimming pond virtually maintenance-free. You can also choose to build a plant filter in your pond. A plant filter you can easily build yourself.

How do I build a natural pool in four easy steps?

1. The depth and shape of a swimming pond play a major role in determining how the pond should be dug. A plan of the yard should be made showing the desired pond design. The location of the plant filter or natural marsh should be considered when making the design. Once this is done, use markers to indicate where the excavation for the pond should take place in relation to other elements in the yard.
2. The necessary excavation work must be done to build a swimming pond. The deeper the swimming pond, the more soil must be stabilized to prevent groundwater from becoming a problem. The walls of your swimming pond must be well solid to prevent collapse, with deeper pools requiring heavier and sturdier walls. A very important part of the swimming pond is the plant filter. An optimal depth for this component is -40 cm from the water level in the pond. The shoring between the swimming area and the filter section of the pond should be placed about -10 cm underwater to keep pond substrate and aquatic plants out of the swimming area.
3. Once the bottom, walls and filter area are solid and ready, you can start applying a good rubber liner. We recommend using rubber liner or EPDM pond liner because it lasts at least thirty years and is therefore much more durable than PVC liner. When applying the liner, make sure that you cover it properly at the edges, for example with hardwood cover battens or stones.
4. Once the pond liner is in place, the plant filter can be set up in your swimming pond. First start with a 20 cm layer of pond substrate, but do not fill the pond with water yet. Plant the chosen pond plants (read more about aquatic plants below) in the layer of substrate, this will give the pond plants a solid base. Then pour in about 10 cm of pond substrate, that is, at the same height (or just below it) as the wooden or stone barrier that is submerged. This is how you create a natural filter. Next, fill the entire pond with water and add pond bacteria for a good start. Keep in mind that it will take a few years for the filter to work optimally because roots need time to grow over the entire surface.

Aquatic plants for a natural pool

When it comes to plants for a swimming pond, there are many great varieties to choose from. For starters, water lilies are an excellent addition because their large leaves provide the water with shade which prevents algae formation, they also serve as shelter for your pond fish or other pond animals. In addition, aquatic plants such as the iris, pikeweed and licorice moss provide a natural-looking bank along the perimeter of your pond. Underwater oxygen plants such as waterweed and moss balls help filter pollutants from the water and add oxygen to the water. If you want to place a nice mix of pond plants in your swimming pond, it's highly recommended to purchase a pond plant package to purchase.

What is the best spot in the garden for your natural pool?

For a swimming pond, it is important to choose a location in the garden where there is sufficient sunlight for about six hours a day, in order to promote the growth of aquatic plants. I recommend that you do not place the swimming pond next to a tree, as the leaves that fall from the tree can contaminate the water and thus require extra maintenance.

Tip from Simon:

Place water lilies in your swimming pond, besides looking beautiful, lilies are also a resistant to all kinds of different weather; for example, they are hardy. This makes lilies a great choice for your pond!

Pond plants attract butterflies to the pond

If you have a swimming pond, then a water lily is the perfect solution against algae. We offer a wide range of large and small water lilies suitable for any swimming pond. Using a water lily in your swimming pond is of great importance. This is because the water lily leaf helps to block the sun's rays, reducing water heating and preventing algae growth. In addition, the leaf provides a natural hiding place for fish and other marine life. - Simon