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NATURAL SWIMMING POOL/PONDS (NO CHEMICALS)

Whether you call them natural pools, eco pools, organic pools, pool-ponds, swimming ponds, swimming holes or NSP's (for short), our Natural Swimming Pool/Ponds are chemical-free, low-maintenance alternatives to traditional chlorine/salt pools. The water in our natural pools is clean, crystal-clear and filtered naturally using a robust built-in biological filtration system. Instead of dumping toxic (and expensive) chemicals into a sterile, chlorinated pool each summer, surround yourself with the beauty and tranquility of nature (and enjoy it all year round). Let our experienced design team help you to create the Natural Swimming Pool/Pond of your dreams and start swimming the natural way!
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Ready to get Started?

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OUR NATURAL SWIMMING POOLS & PONDS...

  • Use engineered, built-in biological filters to clean water (similar to industrial aquarium systems)
  • Feature clean, clear water with no chemicals (no chlorine or salt)
  • Are great for kids and pets (no burning eyes or chemical odor)
  • Have less ongoing costs than a traditional pool (typical chlorine costs run $300 to $600 a year)
  • Typically start at $70,000 - 75,000 (Turn-Key Build)
  • Can be low maintenance (more like a pond than a traditional pool)
  • Provide year round beauty & fun (ice skate during the winter!)
  • Have ​solar & traditional pool heating options available (for extended swimming opportunities)
  • Provide water feature therapy (which we can all use)
  • Create a mini wildlife sanctuary in your own backyard (expect dragonflies, bullfrogs, deer & hummingbirds)
  • Come in all shapes & sizes (residential to commercial)
  • Can be built using our Essential NSP Plans or through our Custom Design & Build services
Natural Swimming Pool in Winter, Ice Skate, No need to cover
No need to cover a Natural Swimming Pool/Pond during the winter: You can even go ice skating!

SWIMMING NATURALLY: HOW IT WORKS

Have you ever seen how many pounds of chemicals go into a typical swimming pool? Have you ever read the warning labels on the chemicals used to sterilize typical swimming pools? The basic philosophy behind water quality in a typical swimming pool is to kill everything short of killing the swimmer. There is another way.

Visualize this: You are lazily floating, toes up, in a pond of sparkling clear running water, surrounded by wild grasses. Hummingbirds land on nearby trumpet flowers and the scent of jasmine and mint is in the air. Is this a dream or some mid-day fantasy? Neither! You may just be part of a new trend in swimming the natural way, without chlorine or other harsh chemicals in the water.

In our Natural Swimming Pool/Ponds we harness nature's own processes, with powerful built-in biological filters, to produce clean, clear water. If you have ever had the opportunity to swim in a crystal clear lake or stream, then you know the sense of bliss that only nature can supply. Swimming is much more enjoyable without burning eyes and chemical odor. Plus, our NSP's are pet, fish & kid friendly!

In Europe they have built hundreds of chemical-free swimming pools since 1985 and interviews with natural pool owners have shown overwhelming satisfaction. We have tested and swam in pools by Bio Nova and BioTop (leaders in the European NSP market). Their systems work well when water temperatures are cold (colder than 25 degrees centigrade). We have developed a system for much warmer climates (like that of the USA) using powerful, built-in biological filters (much like an industrial-sized aquarium). From Canada to Mexico, our system is biologically safe and will pass the bathing water standards in your area.
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The Basics:
In our most popular model, first developed in the year 2000, the swimming area is separated from the planted, built-in biological filter area with an underwater retaining wall. A waterfall offers pleasant music and valuable aeration, a pond skimmer collects large debris and the jet system keeps water moving. A pebble beach and wooden pier (w/ ladder) allow you to safely enter and exit the swimming area. We call this the "Essential" style of natural pool; it is featured in our eBook, Natural Swimming Pools & Ponds: THE TOTAL GUIDE, 3rd Edition as well as our Essential NSP Plans and Essential Online Course available for purchase & download on The Natural Pool Academy website.
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Anatomy of a Natural Swimming Pool
Design & Construction Consultations:
Want a NSP that's tailored to your unique space? We can design a natural pool just for you with a Custom Design Consultation or help you realize your own vision with an Hourly Design Consultation. See all of our design and construction services for residential and commercial projects here. 
Seeing is Believing:
Watch videos of our Natural Swimming Pool/Ponds in action on our Blog or Youtube Channel.

ready to Start Swimming Naturally?

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OUR NATURAL SWIMMING POOL/PONDS: HOW WE ARE DIFFERENT

Though Total Habitat is widely known today for pioneering the Natural Swimming Pool/Pond system in North America, we actually began as a Zoo Exhibit Design & Fabrication company back in the late 1990's. After building an otter habitat and watching them joyfully swim about in the crystal-clear water of their exhibit, we thought, we need to do this for humans! 
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After building an otter habitat and watching them joyfully swim about in the crystal-clear water of their exhibit, we thought, "we need to do this for humans!" 
Though chlorine-free swimming pools and ponds were already in use in parts of Europe at the time, our challenge was to create a system that would reliably work in not-so-temperate climates like those of the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America, and beyond. Using knowledge gained from our years of experience in the Zoo and Aquarium industries, we studied all things water and water filtration, drawing from biology, chemistry, and the waste water treatment industry. 

Our Natural Swimming Pools use a built-in biological filtration system that is specifically engineered to handle a wide range of climates; from mild to fridgid, and from tropical to the dry, hot desert. Guided by scientific principles, we developed formulas for calculating our biological filter size for pools and ponds in any given area of the Country, based on factors like temperature zone, wind and sun exposure, and the number of gallons we need to turn over through the system each day. 

The result of these formulas gives us our biological filter size in linear feet, which allows us to place our filter system just about anywhere in and around the pool. That's why we don't need separate ponds or large "regeneration" areas-- we can build our biological filtration system right into the walls and/or floors of our Natural Swimming Pool/Ponds! 
Over the years, we have refined our techniques, honed our design and construction skills, and even wrote an eBook on the subject (now in its third edition)! We have time-tested Natural Swimming Pool/Ponds (some over a 20 years old) across the United States, from Vermont to the Southern tip of Florida, from the high mountain desert of New Mexico to the rugged rocky mountains of Montana! 
Tests of our Natural Swimming Pool/Ponds reveal crystal-clear water and thriving populations of beneficial bacteria that strip the water of nitrites, nitrates, E.coli, planktonic algae, skin and body oils, fish food and fish waste. Though it continues to amaze even us, our spectacular water quality should really come as no surprise: In our Natural Swimming Pool/Ponds we are simply harnessing nature's own processes and adapting that system to work time and time again, for folks all over the USA and beyond!

Media Coverage

Total Habitat and our Natural Swimming Pools have been featured in many newspapers, magazines, journals, and television/podcast interviews over the last 20+ years, including The New York Times, Better Homes & Gardens and CBS Sunday Morning, among others. See more on our In The News page!
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Where we Work:

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
​Illinois
Indiana
Iowa

Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
​Missouri

Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
New Mexico
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
​Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
​Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
​Wyoming

Canada
​Costa Rica
India
Mexico
​Spain
Where to Next? Let's Go!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR NATURAL SWIMMING POOL/PONDS:

eBook: Natural Swimming Pools & Ponds: The Total Guide, 2nd Edition
Interested in learning about natural pools? We recommend The Natural Pool Academy for educational resources like a how-to ebook, online course and construction plans. 
The Natural Pool Academy
FAQ's
Have a question? Want to learn more? Then check out our Natural Swimming Pool & Pond FAQ page!
NSP Design & Build Options
Ready to create the Natural Swimming Pool or Pond of your dreams? Click here to explore the possibilities!
Total Habitat Blog
Check out our Blog and stay up-to-date on Total Habitat news, Natural Swimming Pool/Pond tips & tricks, step-by-step how-to guides, new project pics and videos!
Safety & Liability Info
See this page of our website for NSP Safety & Liability disclaimers.  

Zoo products & services

Hot Grass & Hot Vines
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​Exhibit Design

natural swimming pools

About Natural Swimming Pool/Ponds
Design and Construction
How-To Guide eBook
Frequently Asked Questions
Customer Testimonials
Total Habitat in the News

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