FAQ: Can you Convert a Traditional Pool Into a Natural Swimming pool?
Yes, it is possible to convert an existing traditional pool into a Natural Swimming Pool/Pond (NSP). Though, unfortunately, it is not a straight-forward process and often requires a custom conversion plan.
First, some things you should know about living water:
You can't just hook up a bio filter to a pool designed to hold chlorinated water and get the same results as you would with a pool designed to hold living water. First of all, you have to figure out where to put the biological filter tubing and filter gravel within or next to the pool. Secondly, though the water in a NSP is crystal clear and clean, because there is no poison in the water, surfaces in the pool/pond will acquire a living patina (little greenish-brown fuzzies). This living patina, which you will see in even the cleanest, clearest bodies of water in nature, is slippery and can be unsightly on white surfaces (while virtually disappearing on rocks, pebbles, and darker colored surfaces).
Often times, the easiest and most aesthetically pleasing option is to rip out the existing pool and use the hole left in its place (possibly reshape it a bit) and build a naturalistic NSP in its place. This plan allows you to create the pool/pond of your dreams, in the perfect shape for your space and with all the features you want (walk-in pebble beach, waterfall, pier, deep end for diving, integrated hot tub, poolside patio, etc.). If your existing pool is still in good shape and you really want to use it, we can work with you to develop a custom design that modifies your existing pool to accommodate the filtration system and the living water (might involve painting the pool walls or using stacked rocks to basically build a natural pool within your existing pool).
If you would like us to help you devise a custom conversion plan for your particular pool or would like our help designing the perfect NSP to take your existing pool's place, we are here to help!
First, some things you should know about living water:
You can't just hook up a bio filter to a pool designed to hold chlorinated water and get the same results as you would with a pool designed to hold living water. First of all, you have to figure out where to put the biological filter tubing and filter gravel within or next to the pool. Secondly, though the water in a NSP is crystal clear and clean, because there is no poison in the water, surfaces in the pool/pond will acquire a living patina (little greenish-brown fuzzies). This living patina, which you will see in even the cleanest, clearest bodies of water in nature, is slippery and can be unsightly on white surfaces (while virtually disappearing on rocks, pebbles, and darker colored surfaces).
Often times, the easiest and most aesthetically pleasing option is to rip out the existing pool and use the hole left in its place (possibly reshape it a bit) and build a naturalistic NSP in its place. This plan allows you to create the pool/pond of your dreams, in the perfect shape for your space and with all the features you want (walk-in pebble beach, waterfall, pier, deep end for diving, integrated hot tub, poolside patio, etc.). If your existing pool is still in good shape and you really want to use it, we can work with you to develop a custom design that modifies your existing pool to accommodate the filtration system and the living water (might involve painting the pool walls or using stacked rocks to basically build a natural pool within your existing pool).
If you would like us to help you devise a custom conversion plan for your particular pool or would like our help designing the perfect NSP to take your existing pool's place, we are here to help!
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Above are photos of one way to approach converting an existing pool into a swimming pond. This builder used sandbags to create a natural looking shape within the original oval pool, then covered it all with a pond liner and decorative rock. We would do a couple things differently to accommodate our biological filtration system, but overall this is a great example of one way a pool conversion can be achieved.
