Introduction
There are several types and designs styles for natural pools and we are often asked by clients to explain the differences.
Below is a breakdown of the differences in our pool choices including outline budget for each pool and the relevant benefits and considerations for each.
We hope this will help you choose which Biotop natural pool is the perfect natural pool for you but please do not hesitate to contact us for any further information.
Biotop Living Pool
A luxury natural pool that looks like a traditional swimming pool but works entirely without chemicals. The pool can have no plants or seom decorative spaces for planting
Budget: £80k - subject to pool size and optional equipment.
Key benefits:
- Completely chemical free pool with no plants/filter beds required
- Limitless design options- from contemporary to natural pond designs
- Can incorporate a retractable cover
- Flexible building location
- No major service required for plant filter
- Existing chemical pools can be converted to the Living pool system
- Can have plants for decorative purposes
- Can be heated all year round
Construction
- Reinforced Concrete swimming pool shell and equipment chamber
- Bespoke Tailored Biotop light grey or olive green liner
- Natural stone paving or high quality decking around the pool
- Pool drainage and overflow
Biotop market leading technology/equipment
Purpose design and manufacture
- Stainless steel sieve skimmer
- Compact biological filters
- Filling water phosphate filter
- Inline pool phosphate filter
- UV unit
Optional equipment
- Solar powered pool cover
- Heating
- Auto top system
- Pool lighting
Considerations:
- Running costs in high phosphate water areas maybe more
- System works most effectively in soft water areas
- More technical equipment required
Easy Maintenance:
- Empty the skimmer weekly
- Regular use of automatic pool robot
- Back washing of phosphate filters
Ongoing Running costs:
- Phosphate Binder material
- Twin low energy pump system
Pool robot and annual service
Biotop Hybrid Natural Swimming Pool
Biotop hybrid natural swimming - luxury environmentally friendly pool
Purpose built vertical concrete walled swimming chamber with an adjoining but separate planted regeneration zone
Budget Guideline: From £78k subject to pool size, landscaping and site access
Key benefits:
- Pure chemical free water
- Highly stable water clarity
- Natural looking pool to blend with environment
- Cleaning Robot friendly swimming area
- Larger shallow area good for heat generation.
- Bespoke landscaping design around the pool
- Pet and wildlife friendly beach area
- Existing traditional chemical pool can be converted to the system
Construction:
- Purpose built vertical concrete walled swimming chamber
- Choice of Bespoke Biotop olive green liner and geo membrane underlay
- Natural Biological clay filter area for plants/water lilies
- Natural looking planted marginal area around the pool
- Boulders and rocks can be added
- Pool drainage and overflow
Biotop market leading technology/equipment:
- Stainless steel sieve skimmer
- Compact biological filters
- Filling water phosphate filter
- Inline phosphate filter
- Pump chamber
- Auto water top up
- UV unit
Considerations
- Due to planted area, Pool heating is not possible
- Not suitable for solar cover due to planted area
- Larger filter area
Easy Maintenance required:
- Regular Emptying of skimmer required
- Automatic Pool robot keeps walls and floor of pool clean
- Back washing filters
- Autumn/Winter Cutting back of marginal edging plants
Ongoing Running costs
- Phosphate Binder material
- Perodical addition of more Oxygenator plants
- Twin pump low energy system
Biotop Natural Swimming Pool
Natural pond style pool with large planted regeneration filter zone. Blends seamlessly into the natural landscape and a year-round feature in the garden.
Budget: From £75k subject to site access, landscaping and sizes of the swimming chamber
Key benefits:
- Highly Stable water clarity with less seasonal variations
- Robot friendly swimming chamber
- Larger shallow area heats pool, good for paddling, wildlife/pets
- Bespoke design and landscaping
- Water garden and wildlife friendly
- Existing chemical swimming pools can be converted to the system
Considerations:
- Pool cannot be easily heated
- Not suitable for solar cover due to plants/natural shape
- Larger planted filter area needed
Construction:
Concrete swimming chamber purpose built with vertical walls
- Bespoke Tailored Biotop olive green liner
- Graded triple washed filter grit planted with Reeds and rushes
- Bio clay filter with water lilies and oxygenators
- Natural design can incorporate Boulders and rocks
- Pool drainage and overflow
Biotop market leading technology/equipment:
- Skimmer with stainless steel sieve
- Concealed Below ground pump chamber
- Filling water Phosphate filter
- Cedar/ millboard decking and pontoon
- Galvanised steel pool edging
Easy Maintenance:
- Regular emptying of skimmer
- Major service of plant filter beds every 5 years
- Pool robot in swimming chamber
- Seasonal cutting back of plants in filter beds
Ongoing Running costs
- Low energy twin pumps
- Oxygenators and filler plants
- Pool robot
Poolscape Entry Level Swimming Ponds
Looks like a natural lake/pond, simple classic design and the most cost-effective natural pool solution
Building Budget: From £40k subject to access gardens landscaping and swimming chamber size
Key benefits:
- Lower entry level budget
- Blends into natural landscape
- Mirror Pond and wildlife friendly
- Water gardens
Considerations:
- Seasonal variations in water clarity due to temperature etc
- Smaller shallow area
- Not suitable for auto pool robot due to shape
- Level site required
- Only suitable for clay soil
- High water table areas not recommended
Construction:
- Organic earth wall and bowl shape swimming chamber
- Firestone rubber liner and heavy duty underlay
- Wash Granite filter grit biological beds with Reeds and rushes
- Biological clay filter areas with water lilies and oxygenators
- Geo membrane sandbags
- Boulders and rocks
- Gravel French drainage around the pond
Equipment:
- High quality skimmer
- Filling water Phosphate filter
- Low running cost Twin 12v pump system
- cedar pontoon /decking
- Galvanised e steel edging
Maintenance:
- Emptying Skimmer and brushing of walls
- Major plants filter beds service every 5 years
- Regular vacuuming
- Seasonal cutting back of plants
Ongoing running costs:
- Low energy twin pump system
- Top up oxygenators and filter bed plants
- Professional vacuuming
Useful Links:
See our Image and Video gallery for some recently commissioned examples.