Introduction

[localaiguy]

Hello all,

Currently in the US, but relocating soon to the Philippines. Goal is a more simple, less expensive lifestyle, but I want a few 'enjoyables' too. One of them is a fresh-water 'multi-function' pool (might look more like a pond). Most advise against it, I'm guessing, but we all have our dreams. Here's where the 'pros' hang out to drink their beer and tell pool stories. I'm all ears.

 

[PoolStored]

Welcome to TFP!!!

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Basically you want a natural swimming pool (NSP). They can be done but they take a lot of engineering, as well as horticulture/aquaculture, to make them work. You also need a lot of land area to make them work as the biofiltration area needs to be as large or larger than the pool area. They will also go through natural cycles of algae blooms that need to be managed appropriately and typically take a lot of mechanical work (scrubbing the rubber liner to remove sessile algae mats).

Look up NSPs online. There’s lots of info. Then try to figure out if anyone in the Philippines can do what is needed.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Also, natural fresh water bodies can harbor all sorts of amoebic and bacterial creatures most of which can cause dysentery. However, N. Fowleri is a particularly nasty and lethal pathogenic amoeba that is known by the common description - “brain eating amoeba”. Death is caused by the amoeba essentially making it into the brain at which point it causes lethal damage and inflammation to the brain tissue. There is no cure or treatments for it. The death rate from a PAM infection is 98%. There’s typically one to two cases of PAM every year in the USA, usually in children, caused by them playing in unsanitary fresh water bodies.

 

[localaiguy]

There won't be a liner. Temperature of the pool won't be warm enough for N. Fowleri to prosper. There will be UV light in the filter system, as needed, and lots of plants to assist in cleaning the water. Bright white color pool, overhead shade netting and lower temperatures (ground water is VERY cold in the area I'll be living) will keep most algae at bay, as will oxygenating the water via a waterfall and water bubbler after we go to bed.

My design plan includes a 12' shelf on both long sides of the rectangular pool that holds plants, a 3' walkway on the shelf on one side with the shelf varying in depth appox. 2' deep at 'deep water' edge, then getting more shallow, to about 1' deep at the outermost edge. Water at house end will be about 10' deep, and the infinity pool end, about 56" deep in the middle and tapering up on each side to about 42", cuz my Filipina is about 5' tall. Pool design allows for walking and getting just legs wet/cool, swimming, slide into the water, waterfall for relaxing and gazing out over our property at infinity pool end, AND my dogs can safely swim and get out at either side without a struggle, even for a small dog.

Fresh water will be added daily to swim pool, overflow at infinity end going down into another smaller pool that will have water spinach, prawns and tilapia, all for eating. Overflow from that will collect and run down into garden areas.