Keeping Your Pool Gorgeous

There are not too many things that beat having your own backyard pool during the summer time. Not only is it a great place to spend quality time with friends and family, it is a great tool to assist you with getting or staying in shape. One of the most exciting things if you are considering a new installation is choosing the pool type that will best fit your space and enhance your property. One type of pool that is gaining popularity around the country is a natural pool. Not only will installing a natural pool be better for nature, it will also help you protect your family from all of the chemicals used in traditional pools.

Why Should You Consider A Natural Pool?

Most traditional types of swimming pools rely on various types of chemicals to keep them sanitized, balanced, and maintained. Not only can chemicals such as chlorine and chloroform cause minor skin and eye irritation, some of them have been known to cause respiratory and even long term kidney and liver damage. Certain forms of pool chemicals such as trihalomethane chloroform are even suspected to be a carcinogenic. If you are concerned about exposing your family to these types of health hazards once you install your pool, you may want to consider installing a natural pool. When a natural pool is created, no chemicals or devices are used to disinfect or sterilize your pool water. 

Your pool is cleaned and maintained through biological filters and the hydroponically rooted plants that are strategically placed in and around your pool. Although a conventional pool design or shape can be used with natural pool, natural pools often closely resemble a pond and are normally created to blend in with nature or the natural components of your landscape. This does not mean you have to worry about mud between your toes. Most pools are constructed from concrete, natural stone, or a rubber or synthetic liner. 

No matter which natural pool design or materials you choose, your pool may be divided into two sections. One section will be your swimming section, while the other section will be your regeneration zone. This is the section of your pool where your filtration and the cleaning of your water will take place by organic means. Once your water is cleaned, it will be fed back into your pool via gravity. There are natural pool designs that eliminate the need for the regeneration zone by using other types of filtration systems.

What Are The Benefits Of A Natural Pool?

In addition to the lack of chemicals, natural pools have several other benefits.

They are less expensive to maintain. You do not have to purchase expensive equipment or chemicals to clean, balance, or maintain them. Not having to purchase chemicals can save you hundreds of dollars per season. While some may contain a few electronic components as a part of their filtration systems, most do not. Even those that do require electricity operate off far less than a traditional pool.

Natural pools require less maintenance time. You do not have to clean your pool on a daily or even weekly schedule. Simply brush, skim, and remove the debris from your pool as needed and you are ready to swim.

You do not have to be a chemist to keep a natural pool balanced. Because you are not using chemicals, you do not have to worry about keeping your pool balanced. This will eliminate the needs to test and retest your pool on a regular basis.

Natural pools allow you to pick and introduce a wide variety of aquatic plants to your landscape. There is a wide array of these that grow both above and below the water line. This clean natural water supply will allow your plants to grow and flourish. This will allow you to add unique plants in colors that may not be commonly found in your neighborhood. Check with your local extension office for those that will grow best in your area.

Natural pools allow you to attract other types of wildlife into your yard. Because natural pools are designed to coincide with nature, they often become home to turtles, frogs, salamanders, dragonflies, and other types of wildlife. While some people may not be comfortable sharing their space with these creatures, others draw comfort in knowing that the pool that they are able to enjoy is also giving back to the environment that they are a part of. 

While natural pools are not for every pool owner, they are definitely a viable option. Consult your local pool contractor to see if one will fit into the project you have in mind.