This video changed our lives actually. We live in Florida, and we bought a house that had a large inground old pool. so many problems with it ... I seen this video and I did it... I turned the pump off and I told him, "no more" ... I just want to enjoy my yard and I love bugs, frogs, etc. I have had to do aeration - the pool gets hot, the deep bottom will stagnate and rots. So I did a bottom aeration. I also had to do a blue dye due to not enough plants at first - Florida sun is brutal. But now we're getting a good coverage - I go to canals and get water lettuce, alligator weed, hyacinth, HUGE pennyworts, duck potato, alligator flag, Pickeral and cattails. I also found out cranberry hibiscus thrives submerged on stairs or the wrap around ledge for sitting. Firebush does too! I have that in pond... We wanted a little water feature, we ended up turning that into a bog - with plants, all the things I love... The tadpoles help keep things clean too. We have many fish, frogs, crayfish , snails.. As for the frogs - so many different kinds, I was so excited when I seen southern toads, spotted, etc. Kids love it... We haven't done a "filter" and the aeration keeps things stirred up. I hope I can shut it off and just have plants next year. I want all that to settle. But we need at least 60-70% coverage here I've been told. Sweet potato makes great shade .... I see all these videos of ppl spending thousands of dollars to convert... and I just shut the filter off and ended chems, lol.
This is what I want to do. But how did you plant thongs in the deep parts. Did you fill it in a little . I need help and direction but I don't know where to go.
love seeing these pools being turned into ponds. It makes me wish I had a pool. Did you notice what looks like a native solitary bees flying in the arch at 3:50 ?
there are also swimming pond options, you would still want to select organisms to fill niches with preferred life, or even growingn vegtables and favorite reeds
This is a DIY I think I can do! My pool was already green so I started looking for Florida Strain Largemouth Bass. Once I have perfect specimens to breed, I’m going to start my own stocking program.
We converted our pool to a pond a year ago. The shallow end is fantastic, lots of plants, water lillies, reeds etc. We have brown frogs, koi, rainbow fish, and goldfish. We're going to add yabbies and hopefully snails/shrimp. Question. What do we do with the deep end??
Peter thank you so much for this! Please can you tell me that while the green water in the old swimming pool, (which has been chemical free but with a cover on for three years at least). When I take the cover off will the green water be safe for my dogs to drink while the algae is clearing before it in time clears? I'm very excited as all the advice before I found this were telling me it would cost thousands of pounds to convert it to a garden pond!
I agree , instead of keeping a pool and nobody swims in it or turn it into skateboarders practice park withvandalisms , better turn it into a pond that way you can enjoy nature better and the heavens will smile back at you because you had provided home for it's creatures.
Love this idea. Question please. I live in BCS mexico and was wondering about putting rocks in the bottom forcdecoration and ledges. Is this possible or would it create problems.
This is marvelous! I just bought a property with a pool and the bills are insane and I detest the chlorine. I would love to create a habitat like this I'm doing it!
Pools are some of the biggest polluters we involve ourselves in. A lot of ppl near me have a pool and treat it with chemicals and never even use it. Such a waste. More ppl should embrace the pond idea. They're so much more interesting.
Question: since I live in Pennsylvania and the winters are harsh, will this affect my lined metal pool? Should I keep a pump running even during winter? I'm new to this and I'd love to be chemical free, but my backyard is all woods so I'm not sure how to go about doing it.
Amanda Leach, don't trust this guy. Natural ponds require some maintenance and the right amount of oxygenating plants to turn out well, not to mention the safety concerns due to the depth of swimming pools. Do your homework, there's plenty of information available on the Internet, before taking any step.
@@pansepot1490 All I can find are articles that suggest that it is really this easy. Can you show me the supposed evidence on the internet that this doesn't just work?
But, can you run the filter and pump and add a water feature like a waterfall and other features that keep the water moving and oxygenated better. And how about a bog? I hear they do wonders for filtration. If I were doing this at a 'resort' business and didn't want to scare everyone away. How could I keep up the clarity so if a guest wanted to jump in, it wouldn't be slimy and dark? Could you add medium like different kinds of rocks, stones, or those plastic boxes with tiny medium?? I'm sincerely asking with a property I'm thinking about purchasing but I HATE pools and this one has a lovely pool with a waterfall but.... it's not what I believe in. I want it to be a part of nature but at the same time still be something swimmable? Any ideas. Could the filter not be custom fitted? Along with everything else I mentioned like the bog and water fall with filter?
It needs filtration. The amount of fish in there will always produce too much waste. Water flow helps clear the water and aerate it. You still don't need to use chemicals just use the same principles that aquarium hobbyists use. All other natural ponds I see on youtube also adopt them.
Hi, I found purple irises/marginals keep my water quite clear.. You need lots they do not even need soil and the roots grow from the surface to the bottom, at least 3ft , and provide as a great tool for removing nitrates.; like mimicking water filtration at water treatment plants.. Miles and miles of reed beds.
Rather than having a stagnant green water pond just add an undergravel filter powered by air pump. It just needs a little bit of electricity and the water will be much cleaner if not crystal clear
Hi baikia, Yes an undergravel pump would probably make the established pond even better but these pools don't look green for long once the water stabilizes. And when the fish and plants get to work the water is far from stagnant. We recommenced people don't swim in these converted ponds of course but the water quality is just like any healthy pond in the wild.
Yes but that would take many months or probably years for the water to stabilise instead of just weeks with just a simple filter. Adding filter is for less patient people i would say :D
Hi baikai777, as mentioned your idea sounds good and some pools do have forms of filtration and/or pump oxygen in (especially those with lots of fish). However the pools in the Pool to Pond program are very much alive and not in anyway stagnant as can be seen by the rich biodiversity.
I hope you are still around, love your videos, I have not been adding any chemicals into my Swimimg pool for a few months. Do I have to install a LINNER in it ? Before adding fish or ETC. IT IS A CONCRETE POOL. SOME OF WHAT I read says yes u need a liner ¿??
I’m in the San Francisco Bay Area, USA. I’ve stopped chlorinating as of last October- (it’s August 2023 now). I have wrigglers. I’ve put in pond plants and they’re thriving. The water is very green. Do I turn on the filtration system? What will happen when I do that? It is a large pool, 20x40 and five feet deep at the lowest point, three feet deep at the shallowest. (Deepest in the middle) plants= Lillie’s, floating hearts, Thalia, Dwarf papyrus, parrots tail and red variegated reed.
What I have been really wanting to do is turn a pool into a fish farm. Tilapia will do well in my climate, but do I need a filtration system? Or do I just fill the pool up, wait for algae, then put plants and Tilapia in the pool?
I have an enormous and very “fancy” swimming pool at my farm here in Australia. My friends and neighbors totally freaked out when I told them I was going to turn it into a pond. They said it would be a disaster. I’ve spent absolutely no money on it. It was a salt water pool. I stopped adding salt for one year and waited for the water to de-salinate naturally. When I tasted the water and it didn’t taste salty anymore, I started putting a couple of small plants in it. When they didn’t die, I put a few more. It’s a complete success. It takes a little patience if you don’t want to spend money to do a more sophisticated conversion like building a floating island. For those interested, google “floating island for lakes/ponds” and you can learn how to do it.
I turned a pool into a pond. The pool was too expensive to run and was advised by a local fish shop that I didn't need to put in a pond pump because the pond was so big, in fact they laughed at me for wanting one and when I said I was worried about oxygen depletion she snapped at me and said the fish would be dead if I had that problem and that water that size can sustain hundreds of fish. I have some lilies and plants. I also use splash and zeolite. It turned out that we did need a pump! We had 20 large koi die when the weather turned humid due to oxygen depletion. All the fish were stressed and on the surface trying to find air. Weather systems (pressure) and stratification can affect the oxygen levels in the pond. You need to circulate the water, aerate it and keep it clean. I have since installed the biggest pump I can afford and a small waterfall and I am still having problems. Please do your research before deciding on not having a pump. My fish were my babies and losing them was heartbreaking. I put in so much love, time and money into the pond and was devastated at the problems I have had and continue to have. Purpose built ponds have a high surface area and are quire shallow. They often have bottom drains to deal with waste. Good luck
@@dawn5624 I'm glad someone pointed this out. This guy's advice is all wrong. As a keeper of aquariums for decades, I know that any closed system needs a way to clean the water to deal with fish waste (Ammonia) and oxygen levels, or fish will die. Natural ponds and lakes have springs refreshing the water and lots of plants to feed on the waste naturally removing the ammonia. Trying to create a pond from a pool would require air pumps and a huge carbon & biologically-based water filter.
You think its safe to have a backyard pond that's 9' deep? I always thought these conversions consisted of filling the bottom of the pond with enough gravel to make it no more then 4' or so deep..or less. Fall in and all you need to do is stand up to prevent drowning. I guess streams and waterfalls are add on's for later?
Hi Stan, it is a very rare pool to be 9 foot deep. Nonetheless if a person is 5 foot and the pool is 5' 1' it can still be dangerous. In Australia we have very, and I mean very, strict rules about all pools having child proof fences. I guess the assumption is, though not necessarily true, that people who get swimming pools can swim. That said some people do fill in the bottom to make them shallower.
The standard American in ground pool has a deep end- 9' and then tapers to a shallow end that is still pretty deep for a fish pond 4-6'. With the vertical walls of a pool,they seem dangerous. I did read years ago of a conversion of a pool to a Koi pond and they built up planters with cinder block..and filled the deep end with gravel. I was just wondering how things are done in various areas...rules.
ENVIROTUBE - ironically I bought a house with a pool some years ago and I can’t swim. We marked the point beyond where we could not stand up comfortably and never crossed that line. Much prefer the pond idea. Thank you.
Actually, in the wild, algae is THE main source of oxygen for fish. And those smaller fish you saw swimming, are mosquito fish. As well, dragonflies love eating mosquitos. Basically, this pond was turned into a completely natural ecosystem.
I was worried about mosquitoes and smelly water, but have less mosquitoes than in the past. My pool has been standing for over a year. If I clean the bottom, the water is quite clear. My new mission is to cover most of the surface with plants to stop evaporation in the heat.
Sandra Lewis Hi Sandra...I just decided that I want to convert my pool into a natural one...This is just the second video that I watched and saw that you recently commented..I live in central Florida and the mosquitos do get bad but it's because part of my land is a wetland area and gets swampy during the rainy season..the reason I bring this up is because 2 years ago I thought I wanted to do this conversion, but one random comment on TH-cam about mosquitos breeding in the pool, caused me to abandoned the idea..but now, I think that I could make it so that the pool is not mosquito friendly..I built a small waterfall that is made from one of those fiberglass/resin water fountains that use a small pump to circulate the water...all I did was cut out the front and made a spout from a piece of stainless steel..I set it on a couple of concrete blocks on the edge of the pool and connected a line from the pool pump outlet to the fountain, and now it's a small waterfall..I think that will help with keeping the water oxygenated..I have to now either attache baskets to hang from the sides for plants, or I might have to cut and bust up part of the concrete deck, so that I can make an area for the plants...I like your comment, because you mentioned swimming with the fish!..I want to put some gold fish in there..I have not put chlorine in it since last week, and it's clear all the way to the drain 9ft down but it's starting to turn green..I need to get started on this soon..a few frogs have already bee in and I now have tadpoles..I know a lot of people would not want to swim in a pool that looks like a pond, but I don't really have many friends and me and my dogs are the only ones that swim in it..I think I need to at least go and turn the pump on so it can circulate some...sorry it took me so long to express my thoughts on this, but if you have any advice you can give me, I would love to here from you.
i'm curious if that lizard was a water dragon. my husband loves water dragons and we are about to try and reinvent our old pool. It would be nice if we could have something his dragon could run around in the backyard and get big like that.
I’m working on making a clean pool without fish after having algae and fish in it for years. I don’t want to dig up my yard to do a “natural pool “, I plan to use tubs along side with rocks and plants to filter the water and a uv light to kill extra bacteria. Maybe I’ll put it on TH-cam. I’m having trouble finding a plan done by other people the way I would like to do it.
I am trying to do this, but the biggest challenge is to be able to plant the plants! The pool is too deep. How do you build a structure that you can put the plants on?
Hanle de Beer our pool was a stinky swamp after not being able to backwash (we currently have a drought in my part of South Africa), and with some elbow grease in clearing the bottom of sunken debris, some fountain pumps flowing into suspended crates to help filter/oxygenate the water, water plants on steps, and planted on a floating raft, and in the end 3 goldfish which turned into many and some beneficial bacteria, our water does not smell bad and is perfectly fine to swim in. When I can, and with more planning I want a bog garden next to the pool to serve as a biological filter. We redirect any water from our gutters and made it through the summer. It is perfectly doable and we won’t be going back to a chlorinated pool!
@@Lorhammercy hi ... saw you comment - we busy changing ours / our biggest problem is leaves from neighbour trees / ivy that blow into our pool - the green leafy mush is at bottom - we try scoop it out ... but it’s a battle ... any advice appreciate. Thanks
I stopped adding chemicals and turned off the pump and in about 1 week, there was a few bright red dragon flies roaming around the pool. Kids love seeing them flying around
hello my friend. Do I need to put a pump in there please? I have some green frogs in my green pool and I think its a waste of money. I could sell my new pump (1year old) and put in some plants and fish. Kindly Deanne
There's no absolute way that water quality from the pond could be safe to drink or use. With all that bacteria and algae growing into the water due to the sun exposure, I don't understand why you would recommend it if that water look so murky green. I love the innovative idea to turn a pool into a natural pond, but geez just don't try to get people sick from listening to a guy telling others it's okay to drink that pond water. I truly believe it's not right.
If you live in the country you drink water that is captured off the roof and held in water containers - no filtration, no chlorine, no treatment.. And it is the best tasting water you will ever drink. This water is no different. The green is just algae...and fish thrive in green water.
Hi, thanks for the concern. We don't actually recommend you swim in it. We recommend the excess be be used for watering, gardens, washing cars etc. (The same advise for water tanks). The murky green is at the beginning of the process when you first stop using chemicals. It takes time for the water to stabilize. Once it stabilizes and plants, frogs and fish are introduced the water becomes quite clear. Pond clear, not swimming pool clear. Actually these ponds have been subject to a lot of study and the water is very clean, nonetheless we do not say you can swim in it and definitely don't say you should drink it. Although one of the residents did drink a little we superimposed a big warning over it.
@@MELODYMUNRO Drinking any surface water, where animals can defecate and bacteria can grow, is dangerous without treatment. This pool isn't covered like a rainwater capture system. Alternatively, processing it through a filter would make it safe.
Turning a pool into a pond is going to happen eventually because there are tons of them and any pool unkept will turn into a pool just like your grass will turn into a jungle if you never cut it
I mean it’s ok if your old and pool is not close to your house but my pool gets used 4-5 times a week and I a see it as a safety concern if you don’t want a pool simply don’t buy a house with one if you want a pond dig and make one it’s a waste to do this!!
This video changed our lives actually. We live in Florida, and we bought a house that had a large inground old pool. so many problems with it ... I seen this video and I did it... I turned the pump off and I told him, "no more" ... I just want to enjoy my yard and I love bugs, frogs, etc. I have had to do aeration - the pool gets hot, the deep bottom will stagnate and rots. So I did a bottom aeration. I also had to do a blue dye due to not enough plants at first - Florida sun is brutal. But now we're getting a good coverage - I go to canals and get water lettuce, alligator weed, hyacinth, HUGE pennyworts, duck potato, alligator flag, Pickeral and cattails. I also found out cranberry hibiscus thrives submerged on stairs or the wrap around ledge for sitting. Firebush does too! I have that in pond... We wanted a little water feature, we ended up turning that into a bog - with plants, all the things I love... The tadpoles help keep things clean too. We have many fish, frogs, crayfish , snails.. As for the frogs - so many different kinds, I was so excited when I seen southern toads, spotted, etc. Kids love it... We haven't done a "filter" and the aeration keeps things stirred up. I hope I can shut it off and just have plants next year. I want all that to settle. But we need at least 60-70% coverage here I've been told. Sweet potato makes great shade ....
I see all these videos of ppl spending thousands of dollars to convert... and I just shut the filter off and ended chems, lol.
This is what I want to do. But how did you plant thongs in the deep parts. Did you fill it in a little . I need help and direction but I don't know where to go.
omg I want to do this too. I turned my pump off, no more bleach but I'm scared I'll make a mess of it or do it all wrong
@@paulsmith4621 floating baskets or wire baskets that hang off the pool edge.
@JG-mt3rp Have you done it yet? If so how is it going?
This is great! Hopefully this will take off in my home state, the land of swimming pools- Florida! Thank you!
love seeing these pools being turned into ponds. It makes me wish I had a pool.
Did you notice what looks like a native solitary bees flying in the arch at 3:50 ?
Damn thing big as a bat! Lol
looks like a dragon fly.
YOU DESERVE MANY MORE SUBSCRIBERS THAN YOU ALREADY HAVE!
I believe that the time has come for me to stop swimming in a corrosive chemical bath..I want to convert my old pool.
there are also swimming pond options, you would still want to select organisms to fill niches with preferred life, or even growingn vegtables and favorite reeds
Very well said,hail to nature!
This is a DIY I think I can do!
My pool was already green so I started looking for Florida Strain Largemouth Bass.
Once I have perfect specimens to breed, I’m going to start my own stocking program.
We converted our pool to a pond a year ago. The shallow end is fantastic, lots of plants, water lillies, reeds etc. We have brown frogs, koi, rainbow fish, and goldfish. We're going to add yabbies and hopefully snails/shrimp.
Question. What do we do with the deep end??
Peter thank you so much for this! Please can you tell me that while the green water in the old swimming pool, (which has been chemical free but with a cover on for three years at least). When I take the cover off will the green water be safe for my dogs to drink while the algae is clearing before it in time clears? I'm very excited as all the advice before I found this were telling me it would cost thousands of pounds to convert it to a garden pond!
I agree , instead of keeping a pool and nobody swims in it or turn it into skateboarders practice park withvandalisms , better turn it into a pond that way you can enjoy nature better and the heavens will smile back at you because you had provided home for it's creatures.
Couldn't agree more Jessie. Thank you.
Love this idea. Question please. I live in BCS mexico and was wondering about putting rocks in the bottom forcdecoration and ledges. Is this possible or would it create problems.
Absolutely love it .
This is marvelous! I just bought a property with a pool and the bills are insane and I detest the chlorine. I would love to create a habitat like this I'm doing it!
Great video. Our pool has frogs and a turtle.
What about stagnation? Do you need to have some kind of "bubbles" to keep it healthy? Sorry, I don't know the proper term.
Pools are some of the biggest polluters we involve ourselves in. A lot of ppl near me have a pool and treat it with chemicals and never even use it. Such a waste. More ppl should embrace the pond idea. They're so much more interesting.
It is wonderful❤ is it okay to swim?
What about above ground pools that have already went green? What do I do from here?
Beautiful.. wish water was a bit more clear though. Underwater footage would have been epic.
Great video
How does that work with a vinyl pool liner that has aged?
Question: since I live in Pennsylvania and the winters are harsh, will this affect my lined metal pool? Should I keep a pump running even during winter? I'm new to this and I'd love to be chemical free, but my backyard is all woods so I'm not sure how to go about doing it.
Amanda Leach, don't trust this guy. Natural ponds require some maintenance and the right amount of oxygenating plants to turn out well, not to mention the safety concerns due to the depth of swimming pools. Do your homework, there's plenty of information available on the Internet, before taking any step.
@@pansepot1490 All I can find are articles that suggest that it is really this easy. Can you show me the supposed evidence on the internet that this doesn't just work?
But, can you run the filter and pump and add a water feature like a waterfall and other features that keep the water moving and oxygenated better. And how about a bog? I hear they do wonders for filtration. If I were doing this at a 'resort' business and didn't want to scare everyone away. How could I keep up the clarity so if a guest wanted to jump in, it wouldn't be slimy and dark? Could you add medium like different kinds of rocks, stones, or those plastic boxes with tiny medium?? I'm sincerely asking with a property I'm thinking about purchasing but I HATE pools and this one has a lovely pool with a waterfall but.... it's not what I believe in. I want it to be a part of nature but at the same time still be something swimmable? Any ideas. Could the filter not be custom fitted? Along with everything else I mentioned like the bog and water fall with filter?
It needs filtration. The amount of fish in there will always produce too much waste. Water flow helps clear the water and aerate it. You still don't need to use chemicals just use the same principles that aquarium hobbyists use. All other natural ponds I see on youtube also adopt them.
Viewers should avoid confusing this pond with a natural swimming pool. Yes it can be done, but the water needs to be *much* cleaner.
Hi, I found purple irises/marginals keep my water quite clear.. You need lots they do not even need soil and the roots grow from the surface to the bottom, at least 3ft , and provide as a great tool for removing nitrates.; like mimicking water filtration at water treatment plants.. Miles and miles of reed beds.
Beautuful 😂😍
Rather than having a stagnant green water pond just add an undergravel filter powered by air pump. It just needs a little bit of electricity and the water will be much cleaner if not crystal clear
Hi baikia, Yes an undergravel pump would probably make the established pond even better but these pools don't look green for long once the water stabilizes. And when the fish and plants get to work the water is far from stagnant. We recommenced people don't swim in these converted ponds of course but the water quality is just like any healthy pond in the wild.
Yes but that would take many months or probably years for the water to stabilise instead of just weeks with just a simple filter. Adding filter is for less patient people i would say :D
Hi baikai777, as mentioned your idea sounds good and some pools do have forms of filtration and/or pump oxygen in (especially those with lots of fish). However the pools in the Pool to Pond program are very much alive and not in anyway stagnant as can be seen by the rich biodiversity.
I hope you are still around, love your videos, I have not been adding any chemicals into my Swimimg pool for a few months. Do I have to install a LINNER in it ? Before adding fish or ETC. IT IS A CONCRETE POOL. SOME OF WHAT I read says yes u need a liner ¿??
I’m in the San Francisco Bay Area, USA. I’ve stopped chlorinating as of last October- (it’s August 2023 now). I have wrigglers. I’ve put in pond plants and they’re thriving. The water is very green. Do I turn on the filtration system? What will happen when I do that? It is a large pool, 20x40 and five feet deep at the lowest point, three feet deep at the shallowest. (Deepest in the middle) plants= Lillie’s, floating hearts, Thalia, Dwarf papyrus, parrots tail and red variegated reed.
I am turning my pool into a pond next month
What I have been really wanting to do is turn a pool into a fish farm. Tilapia will do well in my climate, but do I need a filtration system? Or do I just fill the pool up, wait for algae, then put plants and Tilapia in the pool?
Filter and lots of plant
What is the upkeep? Does it Ruin the finish of the pool, so.it can not be returned to a swiming pool.
hi, don't you need a pump and filter for a pond?
That is so cool! :D GREAT!
Sorry, I am in Central Florida, USA. If that makes any difference ??
Thanks for this.. I have a question... Won't the water get either drained or evaporate with time? Does it need refilling at some point?
I have an enormous and very “fancy” swimming pool at my farm here in Australia. My friends and neighbors totally freaked out when I told them I was going to turn it into a pond. They said it would be a disaster. I’ve spent absolutely no money on it. It was a salt water pool. I stopped adding salt for one year and waited for the water to de-salinate naturally. When I tasted the water and it didn’t taste salty anymore, I started putting a couple of small plants in it. When they didn’t die, I put a few more. It’s a complete success. It takes a little patience if you don’t want to spend money to do a more sophisticated conversion like building a floating island. For those interested, google “floating island for lakes/ponds” and you can learn how to do it.
I wonder if that works with pools that have vinyl liners. I'm fed up with my pool and always wanted a koi pond.
What happens when the water freezes above the frost line? I would think it will crack the walls of an inground pool?
Australia. Hell will freeze over first.
What do you do about the mosquitos 🦟 when you stop adding chlorine and waiting for the water to stabilize?
The frogs and lizards and birds that move in naturally eat the mosquitos and larvae.
THANK Y❤U!!!
Should I fix my Tile and Plaster before making the pool into a pond ?
Brilliant video 🐸🐟🐟 what about filtration ?
I turned a pool into a pond. The pool was too expensive to run and was advised by a local fish shop that I didn't need to put in a pond pump because the pond was so big, in fact they laughed at me for wanting one and when I said I was worried about oxygen depletion she snapped at me and said the fish would be dead if I had that problem and that water that size can sustain hundreds of fish. I have some lilies and plants. I also use splash and zeolite. It turned out that we did need a pump! We had 20 large koi die when the weather turned humid due to oxygen depletion. All the fish were stressed and on the surface trying to find air. Weather systems (pressure) and stratification can affect the oxygen levels in the pond. You need to circulate the water, aerate it and keep it clean. I have since installed the biggest pump I can afford and a small waterfall and I am still having problems. Please do your research before deciding on not having a pump. My fish were my babies and losing them was heartbreaking. I put in so much love, time and money into the pond and was devastated at the problems I have had and continue to have. Purpose built ponds have a high surface area and are quire shallow. They often have bottom drains to deal with waste. Good luck
@@dawn5624 I'm glad someone pointed this out. This guy's advice is all wrong. As a keeper of aquariums for decades, I know that any closed system needs a way to clean the water to deal with fish waste (Ammonia) and oxygen levels, or fish will die. Natural ponds and lakes have springs refreshing the water and lots of plants to feed on the waste naturally removing the ammonia. Trying to create a pond from a pool would require air pumps and a huge carbon & biologically-based water filter.
@@debergher exactly. You seen them at large aquariums when visit see fish hey have huge ones lol.
keep in mind my friends !! you can always take a deep into a pond !!
You think its safe to have a backyard pond that's 9' deep? I always thought these conversions consisted of filling the bottom of the pond with enough gravel to make it no more then 4' or so deep..or less. Fall in and all you need to do is stand up to prevent drowning. I guess streams and waterfalls are add on's for later?
Hi Stan, it is a very rare pool to be 9 foot deep. Nonetheless if a person is 5 foot and the pool is 5' 1' it can still be dangerous. In Australia we have very, and I mean very, strict rules about all pools having child proof fences. I guess the assumption is, though not necessarily true, that people who get swimming pools can swim. That said some people do fill in the bottom to make them shallower.
The standard American in ground pool has a deep end- 9' and then tapers to a shallow end that is still pretty deep for a fish pond 4-6'. With the vertical walls of a pool,they seem dangerous. I did read years ago of a conversion of a pool to a Koi pond and they built up planters with cinder block..and filled the deep end with gravel. I was just wondering how things are done in various areas...rules.
ENVIROTUBE - ironically I bought a house with a pool some years ago and I can’t swim. We marked the point beyond where we could not stand up comfortably and never crossed that line. Much prefer the pond idea. Thank you.
Awesome
What are rigglers?
What about a salt water style system?
no waterfall ? will the water get stagnation and mosqito come after?
I don't think so since the fish keeps the water clean by moving but her I'm wrong I'm only 13
Actually, in the wild, algae is THE main source of oxygen for fish. And those smaller fish you saw swimming, are mosquito fish. As well, dragonflies love eating mosquitos. Basically, this pond was turned into a completely natural ecosystem.
An all natural balance if you will.
I was worried about mosquitoes and smelly water, but have less mosquitoes than in the past. My pool has been standing for over a year. If I clean the bottom, the water is quite clear. My new mission is to cover most of the surface with plants to stop evaporation in the heat.
I loved that video. Once it's all established, can you start swimming in it? Would it be safe for that?
I swim in mine. SOOO much nicer than chlorine.
Sandra Lewis Hi Sandra...I just decided that I want to convert my pool into a natural one...This is just the second video that I watched and saw that you recently commented..I live in central Florida and the mosquitos do get bad but it's because part of my land is a wetland area and gets swampy during the rainy season..the reason I bring this up is because 2 years ago I thought I wanted to do this conversion, but one random comment on TH-cam about mosquitos breeding in the pool, caused me to abandoned the idea..but now, I think that I could make it so that the pool is not mosquito friendly..I built a small waterfall that is made from one of those fiberglass/resin water fountains that use a small pump to circulate the water...all I did was cut out the front and made a spout from a piece of stainless steel..I set it on a couple of concrete blocks on the edge of the pool and connected a line from the pool pump outlet to the fountain, and now it's a small waterfall..I think that will help with keeping the water oxygenated..I have to now either attache baskets to hang from the sides for plants, or I might have to cut and bust up part of the concrete deck, so that I can make an area for the plants...I like your comment, because you mentioned swimming with the fish!..I want to put some gold fish in there..I have not put chlorine in it since last week, and it's clear all the way to the drain 9ft down but it's starting to turn green..I need to get started on this soon..a few frogs have already bee in and I now have tadpoles..I know a lot of people would not want to swim in a pool that looks like a pond, but I don't really have many friends and me and my dogs are the only ones that swim in it..I think I need to at least go and turn the pump on so it can circulate some...sorry it took me so long to express my thoughts on this, but if you have any advice you can give me, I would love to here from you.
We don't recommend swimming in it. Though some do.
How long does it take for the pool to dechlorinate?
when the wrigglers show up its dechlorinated
Dream back yard
love it! namaste:-)
Rich people do both
i'm curious if that lizard was a water dragon. my husband loves water dragons and we are about to try and reinvent our old pool. It would be nice if we could have something his dragon could run around in the backyard and get big like that.
what about mosquitoes?
Just asked the same thing.... Ever find out?
I just don't like the mosquitos. I've thought of this, idea. awesome! I bet, even a hot tub changed to a pond would be cool too!
This is a myth, there are no mosquitos being born from these ponds. The fish eat the larvae.
Turning a perfect, large in ground pool into a pond is DIABOLICAL.
watched the video many times trying to figure out the name of the plant that first appeared in the green water. What is the name of the plant? thanks!
it looks like either myrio or hornwort
What about turning a traditional swimming pool into a natural swimming pool anyone know how feasible that is?
Hi, yes it is feasible. If you do a quick search of the net you can find conversions that are certifiable.
I’m working on making a clean pool without fish after having algae and fish in it for years. I don’t want to dig up my yard to do a “natural pool “, I plan to use tubs along side with rocks and plants to filter the water and a uv light to kill extra bacteria. Maybe I’ll put it on TH-cam. I’m having trouble finding a plan done by other people the way I would like to do it.
I am trying to do this, but the biggest challenge is to be able to plant the plants! The pool is too deep. How do you build a structure that you can put the plants on?
Hi, have a look at this one. It should help give you some ideas. Cheers.
th-cam.com/video/v7-SPLWSj2c/w-d-xo.html
Thanks.
Hanle de Beer our pool was a stinky swamp after not being able to backwash (we currently have a drought in my part of South Africa), and with some elbow grease in clearing the bottom of sunken debris, some fountain pumps flowing into suspended crates to help filter/oxygenate the water, water plants on steps, and planted on a floating raft, and in the end 3 goldfish which turned into many and some beneficial bacteria, our water does not smell bad and is perfectly fine to swim in. When I can, and with more planning I want a bog garden next to the pool to serve as a biological filter. We redirect any water from our gutters and made it through the summer. It is perfectly doable and we won’t be going back to a chlorinated pool!
I use floating plants - water hyacinth, parrots feather, primrose creeper.
@@Lorhammercy hi ... saw you comment - we busy changing ours / our biggest problem is leaves from neighbour trees / ivy that blow into our pool - the green leafy mush is at bottom - we try scoop it out ... but it’s a battle ... any advice appreciate. Thanks
I would love to do this and raise dragonflies.
I stopped adding chemicals and turned off the pump and in about 1 week, there was a few bright red dragon flies roaming around the pool. Kids love seeing them flying around
What is a "wriggler"?
Mosquito larvae
hello my friend. Do I need to put a pump in there please? I have some green frogs in my green pool and I think its a waste of money. I could sell my new pump (1year old) and put in some plants and fish. Kindly Deanne
There is no need for a pump, just add aquatic plants to keep the water clean and oxygenated
it takes forever to clear...just filter it a bit for the sake of the fish...they must prefer clean water
Do you see snakes in there
👍
is it that really ridiculously easy ? je je
I want a pond with huge catfish
And you can always fish them out for dinner fresh out of your back yard
Stopped pump and chlorine. Now what? My pool is very green on walls and bottom
🤣 showing that chlorine is gone.
This video does not actually explain HOW to do a conversion.
Id filter it a bit just to get the green out...dont have to be a purist
There's no absolute way that water quality from the pond could be safe to drink or use. With all that bacteria and algae growing into the water due to the sun exposure, I don't understand why you would recommend it if that water look so murky green. I love the innovative idea to turn a pool into a natural pond, but geez just don't try to get people sick from listening to a guy telling others it's okay to drink that pond water. I truly believe it's not right.
If you live in the country you drink water that is captured off the roof and held in water containers - no filtration, no chlorine, no treatment.. And it is the best tasting water you will ever drink. This water is no different. The green is just algae...and fish thrive in green water.
Hi, thanks for the concern. We don't actually recommend you swim in it. We recommend the excess be be used for watering, gardens, washing cars etc. (The same advise for water tanks). The murky green is at the beginning of the process when you first stop using chemicals. It takes time for the water to stabilize. Once it stabilizes and plants, frogs and fish are introduced the water becomes quite clear. Pond clear, not swimming pool clear. Actually these ponds have been subject to a lot of study and the water is very clean, nonetheless we do not say you can swim in it and definitely don't say you should drink it. Although one of the residents did drink a little we superimposed a big warning over it.
@@MELODYMUNRO Drinking any surface water, where animals can defecate and bacteria can grow, is dangerous without treatment. This pool isn't covered like a rainwater capture system. Alternatively, processing it through a filter would make it safe.
Turning a pool into a pond is going to happen eventually because there are tons of them and any pool unkept will turn into a pool just like your grass will turn into a jungle if you never cut it
Lol. No filtration system? Just put a pond filter atleast.
In California, they'd probably throw you in prison for unlawful assembly of wildlife and fine you for hoarding water.
Outcast Outdoors - On a Fishin' Mission land of the free, am I right?
Sei piante mature per famiglia. photos.app.goo.gl/siydNn7C74kipNdT7
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I mean it’s ok if your old and pool is not close to your house but my pool gets used 4-5 times a week and I a see it as a safety concern if you don’t want a pool simply don’t buy a house with one if you want a pond dig and make one it’s a waste to do this!!
Show more the swimming pool, not your face!
Splendens Regan WTH!!!!😂😂😂😂😂
😂😂😂😂😂
1:30 that is bloody ugly what an eyesore. They should have turned the pool into a deck instead.