Naturally filtered swimming pools and ponds are actually ecosystems. As with any ecosystem there are living and non-living elements that contribute to the stability of the system. Today I want to take a look at natural filtration so you get a better understanding of how this amazing system can produce chemical free pools with crystal clear water.
The basic elements in our natural systems are water, rocks, plants, “good” bacteria, sunlight and oxygen. The way these elements combine and interact will be different in every construction, but the biology is the same.
Water flows through a bio filter that is filled with plants and pebbles. These plants remove phosphorus, nitrogen and other micro nutrients from the water producing their own growth. “Good” Bacteria colonise on the rocks and also remove nutrients from the water.
Water is then pumped via a waterfall into the main pool. The oxygenation of the water is another element in the health of the ecosystem. It can also help regulate water temperature during warmer months.
Over time plants die off and dirt and other materials wash into the pool replenishing the nutrients for the plants and the cycle continues.
As with all ecosystems there is a balance, but nature has ways of stabilising or maintaining the balance. Plants grow faster when nutrient levels are high. All life is affected by reduced sun light hours in winter, natural filtration is not immune. These variations mean naturally filtered pools will always be adapting and changing. In fact, that’s what we love about them. A biofilter can be like any other part of your garden, different plants flowering and thriving during different times of the year. But that sounds like a whole other blog.
For now just imagine Chemical Free Swimming
