A natural swimming pond, also called a natural pool, is a swimmable body of water kept clear by aquatic plants and biological filtration instead of chlorine. Fitz's Fish Ponds designs and builds natural swimming ponds across New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, pairing an open swimming zone with a shallow planted regeneration zone that filters the water the way a healthy lake does. Every build starts with a site consultation and a written proposal covering design, timeline, and costs.
Swimming ponds and natural pools are best defined as systems comprising bodies of water that have been constructed in a manner where the water is contained by a membrane. No chemicals are used to sterilize and disinfect the water, and every method used for water purity is done naturally, usually through plants or biological filters that have been added hydroponically.
While many swimming ponds and natural pools resemble those found in nature, others do not. There are many ways we can design these pools, and we will do so in a manner that is perfectly adapted to your property. The swimming pond phenomenon began in Europe during the 1980s and has since spread around the world. Due to growing environmental awareness worldwide, a growing number of homeowners are switching from traditional chlorinated pools to swimming ponds and natural pools.
A natural swimming pond is built as two connected areas. The swimming zone is the deep, open water you actually swim in. The regeneration zone is a shallow planted shelf where aquatic plants and beneficial bacteria take up the nutrients that would otherwise feed algae. Water moves continuously between the two, and the same waterfall construction techniques we use on koi ponds add oxygen as water returns to the swimming zone.
Step 1: Design and zoning. We map the swimming zone and the regeneration zone to fit your property. Published guidance on natural pools puts the planted filtration area at roughly 30 to 70 percent of total surface area, and we size yours during design.
Step 2: Excavation and membrane. The basin is shaped and lined with a membrane so the water is fully contained.
Step 3: Filtration and circulation. Overflow channels or skimmers pull pollen, leaves, and dust off the surface, and bio-reactive biological filters retain particulate matter down to 100 micrometers.
Step 4: Planting and startup. The regeneration zone is planted much the way we plant an ecosystem pond or a water garden, then the system is balanced before regular swimming begins.
Swimming ponds and natural pools are much better for the environment than standard swimming pools. Pools which are chemically treated may emit as much as three times their volume in water into the sewer within a single year. Because NSPs don't use any chemicals, there is no need to discharge the water within a sewer. Furthermore, NSPs typically require less energy to run than traditional chlorinated pools. sewer.
Another reason NSPs are beneficial to the environment is due to their regeneration zones. Amphibious animals such as salamanders, snails and frogs typically create homes within these areas, and while some natural pool owners don't like it, others are thrilled to know that their swimming environment can be balanced and cleansed by the presence of these animals as it is an indication of a robust ecosystem. At Fitz's Fish Ponds, we can design NSPs however you like. If you want a regeneration zone with aquatic animals, we can add them or we can build yours animal free.
Constructing an NSP takes tremendous experience, expertise and creativity. At Fitz's Fish Ponds, we use a combination of fine filters and hydraulic construction techniques to design amazing NSPs. Objects which are usually found on the surface of pond water, such as pollen, leaves, or dust must be removed, and we do this through the installation of overflow channels or skimmers.
We are also skilled in the creation of bio-reactive biological filters, which eliminate and retain the particulate matter for particle sizes which are as low as 100 micrometers We work closely with every client through consultation, design and construction, and each project is quoted in writing after we review your site, so you know the scope and the cost before work begins.
A natural swimming pond is low chemical, not no upkeep. Plan on skimming surface debris, checking the pump and skimmer, thinning plants in the regeneration zone as they fill in, and testing water so nutrient levels stay low enough to keep algae in balance.
Spring. Restart circulation, clear winter debris, divide and replant the regeneration zone, and check filter media.
Summer. Skim the surface, top off water lost to evaporation, and watch plant growth through the warmest weeks.
Fall. Net the pond before leaf drop and pull organic matter out before it settles and breaks down.
Winter. In New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania the surface can freeze. Most owners shut the pump down or switch to aeration through the cold months, then reopen in spring.
Our team can handle the seasonal work for you through scheduled pond maintenance and pond cleaning if you would rather not manage it yourself.
Fitz's Fish Ponds designs and builds natural swimming ponds for homeowners and properties across New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Our New Jersey teams work out of Mt Holly, Colts Neck, Green Brook, Saddle River, and Fairfield, and we serve nearby New York and Pennsylvania properties from those bases and from our New Hope, PA store. Hours and addresses are listed on our retail locations page.
Every natural swimming pond starts with a site visit, because soil, grade, sun exposure, and equipment access all shape what the finished pond can be.
Fitz's Fish Ponds is an industry leader when it comes to Swimming Ponds & Natural Pools in New Jersey. Find out more about our quality services!
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Ready to see what a natural swimming pond would look like on your property? Schedule a natural swimming pond consultation and we will walk your site, size the swimming and regeneration zones, and put a written design and cost proposal in your hands.
