If you’ve ever come across a swimming pool that looks more like a tiny lake than a rectangle of blue water, you were probably looking at a biopool. They’ve become more common over the last two decades, especially with people who want a pool that complements nature with its ecosystem rather than fights it with chemicals.

What Is a Biopool?

A biopool, sometimes called a natural swimming pool or eco-pool, is a swimming area that relies on plants, biological filtration, and natural processes to maintain water quality. Instead of disinfecting the water they create a small, balanced system.  The water stays clear, the ecosystem stays stable, and swimmers get clean water without chemical smell, bleached swimwear or eye irritation.

The pool has two parts:

  • The swimming zone, which is deeper and kept free of plants so it feels like a conventional place to swim.
  • The regeneration zone, a shallower area filled with gravel and aquatic plants.

Water circulates across these zones so plants and beneficial microorganisms can process nutrients and impurities.

How Biopools Keep Water Clean

A biopool works because it encourages the right biological processes in a controlled environment. There are two core elements:

  • The biofilm – This is a natural layer of microorganisms that develops on gravel, plant roots, and any submerged surfaces. The biofilm is essentially the engine of the biopool. It breaks down organic materials, transforms nutrients into forms plants can absorb, and keeps the water from becoming nutrient-rich enough for algae to take over.

  • Aquatic plants – Plants are not decorative extras, they’re part of the cleaning system. They take up nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, which are the same nutrients algae thrive on. By removing these nutrients from the water, plants help maintain clarity and balance.

Different plants play different roles:

  • Emergent plants for structure and nutrient uptake
  • Submerged plants that help oxygenate the water
  • Marginal plants that stabilise edges and add root surface area

Why We Chose a Biopool

We take the harmony of our natural surroundings at Tiny Escape seriously.  We needed a pool that compliments the environment, avoids harsh chemicals and has a minimal long-term environment impact.  It feels like it’s always been there and it’s the perfect pairing after a hike or a bike ride on the Ecopista!