Swimming pool conversion

[fiona]

We have a house that has a regular, chlorine swimming pool from before we bought it. It uses a lot of chemicals. I want to keep the pool as its great fun and good exercise for both adults and kids, but I don't like all the chlorine it needs. Does anyone know of any way to convert a pool so it works with something more natural (can you do a salt conversion or something??)?

Fiona

[permaculture.biz]

G'day,

Try out http://www.swimming-teich.com/index.html

Ciao,

Daz

[fiona]

Thanks for the link. I did look at those from the other thread talking about natural pools. Those pools look great. Anyone ever converted a standard pool to this though? Might be something we look at doing over winter next year.

Fiona

[gardenlen]

g'day fiona,

not sure you can convert a cement pool to a natural pool?

but if you want to convert to salt aka 'salchlor' then you need to talk to a pool shop or builder.

we have slachlor and would recommend it as the way to go as there is not that need to continuall add chlorine, our pool maintenance is very minimal. plus there is none of that red eye effect after swimming in it and no real need to rinse off as is common with chlorine pools.

len

[permaculture.biz]

G'day,

From the technical information pack I received from Biotop last year the conversion of existing pools is relatively easy and effective. The difficulty comes in dropping the level of one side of the pool (cutting cement - :? ) to allow the pool water to interface with the constructed wetland. The biotop pools are either lined, fibreglass or cement affairs so a retrofit is entirely possible.

Ciao,

Daz

[fiona]

Well, that's something to think about for a winter project.

Daz, have you ever actually converted a pool?

I would love to convert to a natural pool, but if it doesn't turn out to be possible, I'll atleast change over to salt chlorination.

[permaculture.biz]

G'day

No I haven't yet. I will convert a rendered cement block pool next autumn in Argentina. We will publish the photos of this process when we do the work. I don't know if I will have an opportunity to do another before then.

I have suggested it to a few friends and the odd client here and there - but they are reluctant to have a crack. But then the world is full of people who don't have a crack, so its hardly surprising.

We are building our complex in 2007/08 so will build a natural pool from scratch then. We will publish the results onto our website.

Whatever the case I think the concept is so breathtakingly simple that people are reluctant to have a go as a result.

Ciao,

Darren Doherty