Organic Pools

Natural Swimming Pool Chemistry

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  Learn the basics of organic pool chemistry
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  Organic pool water treatment introduction
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  Alternative sanitizers for organic pools
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  Natural and organic pools and pond design
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Organic Pools Introduction

Did you know that using chlorine is an option?

Can you safely use a swimming pool that is completely chlorine free? Yes you can and the simple solution is to follow the template that mother nature created for us. The more complicated aspect is how to go about creating, and more importantly regulating, a large body of water in your backyard.

The reason that chlorine is used for swimming pools in the first place is to kill with certainty the harmful bacteria that is likely to grow in a stagnant body of water. Make no mistake that water under improper conditions can cause severe health risks and even death so water sanitizing should be a serious concern for everyone.

How Is An Organic Pool Different?

The primary defining characteristic or an organic swimming pool over a traditional modern swimming pool is the lack of chemical sanitizer in the water. In a traditional pool chlorine is used to kill harmful bacteria by maintaining a free chlorine level of approximately 3 parts per million (ppm).

The science behind this is that all harmful bacteria, except cryptosporidium, is dead within 60 seconds at these levels. cryptosporidium requires extended contact with chlorine levels 3-5 times higher in order to be killed. The fundamental idea of maintaining a "dead space" body of water where noting is alive is actually quite difficult to do as this opposes the entire concept of eco-systems and natural balance.

An organic swimming pool can be essentially summarized as a self contained self regulating eco-system where a traditional swimming pool is a "dead space". Which sounds more appealing to swim in?

Organic Pools Are Like An Eco-System

Organic swimming pools are also referred to as natural swimming pools, swimming ponds or biological swimming pools (bio-pools). This type of swimming pool refers to a swimming pool which has been specifically constructed to recreate the natural water chemistry found in nature. In other words a natural swimming pool does not utilize traditional swimming pool chemical treatments such as chlorine, bromine or other water sterilization chemicals.

In place of chemical sanitizers a natural balance is achieved through a combined process involving enriched oxygen content in the water and a host of natural plant life, insects and aquatic life. While it is entirely possible to create a safe swimming environment like this it does require extensive knowledge and regular maintenance and water testing, but this is not the main reason for how rare these pools are - Especially in North America.

Origins Of Organic Swimming Pools

Organic swimming pools are almost unheard of in North America, however they have been in use in Germany and Austria since the mid 1980’s. In North America the same technology could be used however it is commonly not used for the stigma of swimming in anything other then a sterile and spotlessly clean pool. The idea of insects, plants and other forms of wildlife are not appealing to many people regardless of how clean or pure the water might actually be.

Couple this with a higher price tag than a traditional swimming pool as well as more size, depth and available space requirements and the result is the majority of people using regular pools even though they are known to be harmful to your health. Leading health research suggests that chlorine found in traditional swimming pools is a carcinogen and is directly linked to a near epidemic of asthma in bathers, especially children.

Is Chlorine Bad For Your Health?

Yes. Given that chlorine is a known carcinogen as well it would seem that this form of water treatment for swimming pools is likely to be replaced at some point. The question remains though as to which chemical to replace it with in maintaining a safe and clean swimming pool environment, or potentially no chemicals at all which would be the preferable solution. There are a number of chemical options available such as bromine but these harsh chemicals have many of the same negatives that make chlorine a poor choice for your pool. In order to consider a chlorine free swimming pool or any form of organic swimming pool you will need to learn more about how water chemistry works.

Learn about conventional and organic pool chemicals