Are Natural Bio Pools Worth It? Costs, Pros & Cons
Looked into this after my neighbor started talking about something called a 'bio pool' or natural swimming pool, and I feel a little silly that I had never heard of it before. Apparently you build a separate zone full of aquatic plants and gravel that cleans the water biologically instead of using chlorine — and I'll be honest, the idea of not dragging home jugs of chemicals every other week sounds pretty amazing. My backyard in Wisconsin is a decent size and I have an existing conventional pool, but our winters are brutal and everything freezes solid.
Is this actually a real thing people are doing, or is it more of a niche experiment? I'm curious how the plant zone actually purifies the water, whether it stays clear and safe to swim in, and whether a cold climate like mine would completely kill the concept. Also, is it realistic to convert what I already have, or would I basically be starting from scratch? I'm worried I'm missing some obvious downside that makes this impractical for most homeowners.…more
Is this actually a real thing people are doing, or is it more of a niche experiment? I'm curious how the plant zone actually purifies the water, whether it stays clear and safe to swim in, and whether a cold climate like mine would completely kill the concept. Also, is it realistic to convert what I already have, or would I basically be starting from scratch? I'm worried I'm missing some obvious downside that makes this impractical for most homeowners.…more