Your personal swimming experience in the comfort of your own garden
Taking a dip the cool waters of your own swimming pool is a wonderful experience, especially in the hot summer months. You're guaranteed a front-row sun-bed and there's no jostling for the best position in the water. But before you dive into this wonderful swimming experience, there's an important decision to be made.
Which solution best suits your needs?
Swimming ponds, natural pools and classic swimming pools have different characteristics that should be taken into account when making your decision. The size of the swimming area also determines your swimming and bathing experience. On average, a single swim stroke covers a length of 1.50 m: How many strokes do you want to swim per length? The lane width should be approx. 2.0 m. You can use these dimensions to calculate how much space you will need for your swimming area.
The following information provides a more detailed introduction to the options available for swimming ponds, natural pools and classic swimming pools.
The classic choice: The traditional swimming pool
The classic swimming pool is usually cleaned using sand filter systems and disinfected with chlorine or other disinfectants. Natural cleaning is not possible with this system, as all micro-organisms are killed by the agents added to the water.
- Pool tanks are available in a variety of simple geometric shapes
- The full area of the pool can be used for swimming
- The pool can be heated
- The water is crystal clear
- The chemicals used may irritate your eyes and skin
The natural choice: The swimming pond
A swimming pond is the most natural solution for swimming in your own garden. The pond is divided into different zones: In addition to a swimming and bathing area, this type of pool also features a regeneration zone that is used for water treatment. This area contains a number of plants that clean the water naturally. Depending on the type of water treatment, the ratio of planting zone to swimming zone can be up to 50:50 — this space requirement should be taken into account when choosing a swimming pond. The more powerful the circulation system and supporting technology, the smaller the regeneration area can become. This type of pool will allow you to immerse yourself in nature: As it is a body of standing water with a large number of plants, local wildlife will eventually begin to make itself at home in this oasis of well-being.
- The clarity of the water may be subject to seasonal fluctuations
- The additional space needed for the regeneration zone must be taken into account
- Your swimming pond can be whatever shape or design you want it to be
- It blends in perfectly with the surrounding nature
- The amount of technology required depends on the method of water purification you choose
- A number of solutions are available that can be used to support and strengthen natural water treatment processes
- The natural and healthy water does not irritate your eyes and skin
- Swimming ponds are also a valuable additional for local wildlife in and around the pond
The hybrid choice: The natural pool
The natural pool is somewhere between a swimming pond and a conventional pool. This type of pool allows you to swim in a pool-like tank without being surrounded by plants and pond life. The water is purified by biological filter technology that forms a biofilm, which stores the nutrients from the water. If you wish, you can set up a small regeneration zone with a few plants, but this is not essential. The plant zone also does not have to be completely separate from the swimming area. This type of design allows natural pools to be constructed on smaller areas of land.
- The water is clear and clean
- You can choose what shape the pool will take
- The regeneration zone only occupies up to 15% of the surface area of the pool and can be visually separated from the swimming area
- A number of solutions are available that can be used to support and strengthen natural water treatment processes
- The natural and healthy water does not irritate your eyes and skin
Category I:
Pure nature without technical features
A category I swimming pond offers the full nature experience, including strong plant growth and a variety of wildlife. Water purification is carried out by plants, zooplankton, micro-organisms and sedimentation — no technology or chemicals required. Natural circulation systems keep the water flowing. In May and June—the main growth phase of the plants—a slight green cloudiness can occur in the water and some sludge may form on the bottom. This can be removed at the beginning or end of the swimming season.
Category II:
Nature with a technological touch
Nature also plays a major role in treating the water in category II swimming ponds. A small amount of technological assistance helps to reduce the natural fluctuations in water colour. This can be achieved using a circulation pump, for example. A skimmer can be used to remove coarse substances such as leaves and floating plant debris from the surface of the water.
For ponds in this category, we recommend using an AquaMax Eco Premium 6000/12000 12V pump with an AquaSkim 20 or 40.
Category III:
Nature with permanent technology
In category III pools, nature and technology work hand in hand. The natural water treatment processes in the swimming pond are supported by a permanent circulation system. Filter technology, substrate and plants work together in constant harmony. The benefits of consistently using a filter are easy to see: The water is less cloudy. This technological assistance means that the regeneration zone can be smaller. The targeted use of technology ensures that the water is of excellent quality for swimming. Energy consumption is low due to the energy-saving pump technology. These swimming ponds offer a beautiful natural experience in visibly clean water.
For ponds in this category, we recommend using an AquaMax Eco Premium 6000/12000 12V pump with an AquaSkim 20 or 40 and a FiltoClear 6000/12000/16000/20000 filter depending on the pond size.
Category IV:
Technology with a natural touch
Crystal clear, biologically purified water: When it comes to water purification in category IV pools, technology takes care of most of the work. The circulation system and filters are designed to handle this and the increasing water circulation rate reduces the number of pond microorganisms. The constant use of high-performance technology results in increased energy consumption. The natural pool offers a great natural swimming experience for even the smallest of gardens.
For ponds in this category we recommend using an AquaMax Eco Premium 6000/12000 12V pump with an AquaSkim 20 or 40 and BioTec Screenmatic² 40000/60000 filter depending on the pond size.
Category V:
Fully equipped
The natural pool receives constant treatment from a high-performance, multi-level system. The base and the walls of the swimming pond are regularly cleaned by a robot. This technology ensures the greatest possible automation and is a particularly convenient solution. A very special swimming experience: The water is always clear and clean, but natural and healthy at the same time. Unlike traditional swimming pools, the water does not irritate your eyes. There is no need to have any plants in your pool. Natural pools can be installed in even the smallest of gardens.
For ponds in this category, we recommend using an AquaMax Eco Premium 12000 12V pump in conjunction with our ProfiClear Premium drum filters and a Bitron C 55 or 110 UVC clarifier. The Profiskim Wall 100 is recommended for wall installation and the Profiskim 100 for shallow water.
How will your swimming area look like?
Each of these types of swimming pond and natural pool boasts its own individual advantages. When making your decision, consider the following questions:
How much space do you have?
Do you have allergies that rule out the use of chemicals?
Would you prefer a more structured or more natural solution?
Would you like the pool area to blend in with the surrounding nature of your garden?
Have you decided on a swimming pond or a natural pool and want to find out the next steps? Our guide "Swimming ponds and natural pools — the natural way to enjoy swimming" will help you create the perfect swimming experience for you.