A natural pond is one of the most beautiful creations on planet Earth. You might be someone who really enjoys spending time around these natural water bodies. So, while the idea of a home swimming pool sounds enticing, you may be hesitating to get it installed because it isn’t a natural pond.
At Barrier Reef Pools Perth, we have an easy workaround for that. Our team of highly experienced pool installers can set up a home swimming pool that resembles a natural pond. Don’t worry, you’ll still be able to swim in your new pool. We will create a green haven that offers a private, relaxing space for you and your loved ones to spend time in.
Things to do to make your home swimming pool look like a natural water body
So, what should be done to make an artificial water body resemble a natural one? Well, we recommend the following –
1. Keep your pool outdoors
2. Get natural stone tiles for your deck and wooden stairs/launch pad for the pool
One great way to make your home swimming pool look like a natural pond is to line the pool deck with natural stone tiles. In fact, you can get natural boulders in different sizes to even line the deck for a wilder aesthetic.
Installing your pool outdoors is a prerequisite for making a natural pond-style swimming pool. You won’t even need pool covers with this type of pool, since the idea is to make it seem as authentic as possible.
3. Ensure you follow the right pool dimensions
In order to make your pool resemble a natural pond, your pool needs to have sufficient space for both the aesthetic features and the swimmable area. Plus, it should be deep enough for any wildlife that you want to introduce. Ideally, your natural pond-style pool should –
Be a minimum of 5.5 feet in depth and 25-30 feet in length.
Have a pH level between 5.5 and 7.
Use 20% area for aquatic life and 80% for swimming.
4. Place a pond liner to keep your feet safe from scrapes
The ground will ideally be lined with pebbles and large gravel to make it feel very authentic and pond-like. Not only do gravel and pebbles feel good as you walk or swim, but they’re also excellent at catching large debris.
Our Recommendation
We recommend that you get pond liners to make this gravel/pebble-layered ground easier to walk on. The pond liner allows you to feel the texture of the pebbles underneath, without allowing any cuts, scrapes or bruises.
5. Create a waterfall and a stream area
A waterfall area and a stream area are excellent ways to make a swimming pool look more like a natural water body. You don’t have to make the waterfall large. Instead, have the swimming pool dug at slightly different elevations so that you can have boulders and other water features installed, to create flowing water. You can use the stream area to include a small waterfall.
Just imagine how you’ll feel sitting in the gently moving water with a book in hand (or perhaps a mug of iced tea) and relaxing on a summer day. Wonderful, isn’t it?
6. Plant flowers that take over pool filtration
That’s right! You can actually plant real botanicals in your home swimming pool. Flowers like water lilies and flag irises are not only gorgeous on the eyes, but they’re also natural filtration systems. They promote a thriving community of good microorganisms that actually help remove any contaminants and toxic chemicals, reduce algal growth and make your pool safer to swim in.
See how to make your pool eco friendly and energy efficient!
While lilies and irises are above-the-water plants, you can also get submerged plants and margin plants that are typically found around real ponds. Plant them in your natural swimming pool. Plants that have thick fibrous roots make for some of the best biological filters for your pond-pool.
Just make sure to prune the plants to a length that is not comfortable for snakes and insects to hide in. The idea is to mimic the biodiversity you’d see around natural ponds, in your landscaping, by choosing plants that are safe and which don’t attract poisonous critters. Our pool installation experts can help you make the right choice.
7. Introduce the right aquatic life
As with plants, you can also safely introduce animal life into your natural pond-style swimming pool. The trick is to know what type of aquatic life you can bring in.
Typically, goldfish and koi are great additions since they’re pretty harmless. When you have the right pond plants in your pool, they will take care of any feces and other toxins that their waste products might release. You might even see that there are small insects like dragonflies or snails or even tadpoles in your pool someday. Don’t worry. That’s a good sign. These creatures feed on smaller animals and microbes that can actually wreak havoc on your pool. Even birds are welcome visitors since they can catch and eat any mites in your pool-pond.
Of course, in saying that, if you notice any water mites, thrips or gnats, be sure to contact our pool maintenance team immediately for water treatment.
Tip!
Of course, in saying that, if you notice any water mites, thrips or gnats, be sure to contact our pool maintenance team immediately for water treatment.
8. Let water flow be constant
One way to prevent mites and other unwelcome bugs in your natural pond-style pool is to keep the water moving at all times. It ensures that the bugs have no still water body to lay their eggs in. A stream area and waterfall are great ways to help ensure your water flow is constant. Plus, you can install a powerful pump that can ensure constant movement.
9. Install a powerful filter
In addition to the pump, be sure to have a powerful water filter that can filter out both large and small debris. Of course, if you have fish in your pool, then make sure the filter isn’t so powerful that it can suction out your fish too. It can be quite a scary scene to wake up to.
In conclusion - Keeping your pond-pool safe for use always
We have two key tips that you should follow, in order to keep your natural pond-style pool safe for use all the time –
1. Regularly remove debris
Remove any leaves, twigs, fruits from trees, fish feces etc. that you see on the surface of the pool. This will prevent algal buildup, which can affect your pool water’s health and even impact your ability to swim in the water.
2. Test the pool water every few weeks and call-in experts for treatments
Be sure to test your home swimming pool water every 2-3 weeks to ensure that it is at the right pH level and free of any harmful chemicals. Our experts can advise you on water testing. We will also be available for any pool care questions you may have and we can come over to your property to treat the pool water if it isn’t of the correct quality.
Contact us for natural pond-style pool installation and maintenance.
