Natural swimming pool, swim pond, natural pool, pond pool: all the same thing
"Natural swimming pool" (NSP) is the industry's technical term for a chemical-free, biologically filtered pond you swim in, so natural swimming pool, swim pond, natural pool, pond pool and swimming pond all describe one thing. Water kept clear by a planted regeneration zone and the bacteria living in its gravel instead of by chlorine. No chlorine, no liner-and-tile shell, and water that looks like a clear lake rather than a blue rectangle. What we build: natural swim ponds and natural pools, recreational ponds at acre scale for swimming, fishing and wildlife, and conversions that turn an existing chlorine pool into a pond. What we do not build: chlorine, saltwater or mineral-system pools, and no gunite, concrete-shell or fiberglass pools. If a conventional pool is what you want, we are not the right builder for you.
Overview
A natural swimming pool is a swim pond, so its upkeep is gardening rather than water chemistry. No chlorine, no test kit, no dosing schedule. This is the realistic schedule, the real annual cost, and the mistakes that damage a biological pond. We build and maintain ponds only. We do not service chlorine or saltwater pools.
Weekly Tasks (15-30 min)
Skim leaves and debris from swim zone surface Verify pump is running normally (sound, flow rate) Test water clarity (Secchi disk or visual depth check)
Summer
• Monitor evaporation. Top off weekly in heat • Watch for excessive algae (over-fertilization signal) • Heaviest skimming during pollen and leaf drop
Fall
• Install leaf netting if near deciduous trees
Five Maintenance Mistakes to Avoid
Scrubbing the gravel media destroys bacterial colonies that filter water Adding chlorine "just in case" kills the entire biological system in hours Removing all algae some algae is normal and feeds beneficial organisms Aggressive plant cutbacks reduces nutrient uptake capacity Using city tap water without dechlorination for top-offs above 10% volume
