DIY construction in time-lapse of a swimmteich = tec-free natural pool
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 เม.ย. 2022
- We have documented the construction of a Teichdoctor-Teich that has been special for us because of two reasons:
Melanie and Christoph wanted an alternative solution for the pond bags.
This swimmteich is the most exactly excavated natural pool that we have ever seen.
In the next weeks we will show you another video about the construction of this organic pool, with more details. So if you think that this is an interesting project, subscribe to our channel and you will not miss anything!
Ines von Teichswimmer
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*DIY-How to build a natural pool/swimmteich
This book shows clearly and with detailed step-by-step instructions with pictures and sketches, how you can build a natural pool/schwimmteich in your garden without technology and plants.
amzn.to/3Ah2X78
or as pdf / DIY-How to build a natural pool/swimmteich (EBOOK)
teichschwimmer.com/produkt/di...
These links* are affiliate links. We receive a small commission if you buy something through one of these links. There are no additional costs for you and you have the opportunity to support our work.
Thank you so much for your video. I would love to talk to you about a project in Guatemala.
Hi Nash, you can send us an email any time....... : info@teichschwimmer.com
We are waiting for your questions!
Best regards,
Ines von Teichswimmer
Hello. Thank you very much for all the effort you have put toward helping all of us learn and understand a earth-friendly way to build and maintain a swimming pool. I live in Hawaii where your type of gravel is very expensive, but lava ”gravel” is virtually free on my property. Assuming the surface of the rock is primarily important in providing a home for the biofilm that makes the system work, do you see any problems with using the similar sized lava “gravel”? I believe it actually provides more surface area, but I’ve considered the difficulty of cleaning as a potential issue.
One other question regarding pond liners vs using ferro cement as the liner replacement. I’m assuming that if everything else is equal in the design, then using ferro cement to replace the liner is another option that could help those where liners are difficult to find or cost prohibitive.
Thank you for your consideration.
P.S. I very much enjoy your videos.
Dear Garry, thank you for your motivating words! -
How nice, living on Hawaii.......! One should think you do not need a natural pool with all the sea-water surrounding you! - On which island are you situated? - I am asking because when I was very young, I visited Hawaii and stayed on 5 of the islands..... I loved Hawaii a lot because of the diversity. You have flat land, hills, canyons, farm land, beaches, and so on.
Okay, answering your questions: lava "gravel" should be absolutely okay. The size is not the point, and the surface neither. The only thing I am not sure is the nutrients. I have no idea if lava stone has nutrients on/in it or not. - And I would rather take lava "pebbles" (if they exist) than lava "rock". Just make sure that the lava "gravel" is not too sharp-edged!
The suggestion to use ferro cement instead of liner is a great idea because we hear all the time that liners are rare outside of Europe, or very expensive, and few professionals to weld the liner...... - As I have no experience with ferro cement, let me ask you something: Is it possible to build slightly conic walls with that material? - Because the walls should not be too straight to support the natural water circulation.
please keep us upddated on your thougths/plans!
Best, Ines von Teichswimmer
I just read your book on Amazon and it has a lot of really useful information. What size are the drainage pipes? In the u.s. we use 4 inch perforated pipes for drainage. Also are the drainage pipes inside and outside the pool perforated or solid? Thank you for your help. I’m excited to start building ours
The drainage pipes used outside for the ring drainage are 4 inch perforated pipes. The drainage pipes used for the regeneration zone are 2 inch perforated pipes.
So, both pipes, inside and outside, are perforated.
We are happy that you got the motivation to start planning!
All the best, Ines
This looks great thanks for the video. A quick question, without concrete walls how do you deal with a high water table? I have read that the ground water can push the liner up. How does your system deal with that?
Dear Keir,
We have heard that many times, but in Austria natural swimming ponds have been built since 1975 (not the Teichdoctor-system, though) and many of them have built without concrete walls and I have never heard of a problem with the liner.
And you should not underestimate the water pressure that a natural swimming pool exerts on the ground.....
We know of a swimmteich that could not be excavated deeper than 2,5m because then there was the groundwater. - But even in winter when it rains a lot - there was no problem with the liner.....
Thanks for your interest,
Ines von Teichswimmer
Dig a ditch lower than the pool to put a sump pump in. When water is infiltrating the ground it will go to the lowest point so u have a really big hole next to the pond lower than the pond and put a sump pump in it as needed to pump.out water during rainy seasons. Or u put in a drian pipe before u put in liner and can route it to a sump pump or a drain field. Essentially a drain under the pond just for external water run off and ground water or a near by hole lower than everything else
Thanks for the video,
A couple questions,
In this teich they made a wooden box to hold the gravel back, but the box looks open and the gravel should just fall out? am I missing something?
Also: The yellow pipes in the video, do they need to be the right length? also is it one lone pipe or short cut sections?
Also also what is the name of the plastic liner they use? I have seen mostly EPDM,
Hello, thank you for your questions!
You are right. They made a wooden box instead of using pond bags. The box is open to all sides, except the front. On the front they fixed a grid (2x2cm = 0,8x0,8inch) made of stainless steel. That holds the gravel back and lets the water flow in. It is important to put some pond bags filled with gravel on the wooden frames (on the bottom) before filling up with gravel. Otherwise, with time passing, the boxes could start to move.
The yellow pipes are perforated 5cm (2inch) drainage pipes. They usually come as one lone pipe and is cut in pieces on the spot. One piece will be about 3-4m long, that is 10-13ft.
They use a PVC liner that is thermically welded.
Thanks for your interest, Ines von Teichswimmer
Hi, and thank you for your video. I live in central Portugal where the summers are brutal. For at least 3 months of the year (but often much longer), there is no rain at all and daytime temperatures stay in the mid-30s although we also get heatwaves where temperatures are in the mid 40s. Locally, the only natural ponds that retain water during in the summers are ones that are spring-fed. Everything else ends up to be a big empty hole in the ground, and I have one of these! At the moment, my pond is not lined, but I am wary of spending money to line it if the water will just evaporate in the heat anyway. Do you have any experience or advice about the success of natural ponds in similar conditions? Thank you.
Hi Liz, to be honest: No, we do not have any experience. We know of projects in India and the South of France, but we have not actually seen them. - I am quite sure that you would have to refill once during summer if you have conditions like that. But I cannot imagine at all that the water would all evaporate, it's 3m deep and down there it never gets really hot.....
Best regards, Ines
@@teichswimmer6746 Thank you so much for your honest response. I do have a small water mine which I think I will clean, extend and line, and maybe that way I won't have to refill too much; I am not connected to mains water so it is very much a precious resource!
I need this done in Michigan
hahaha - that's a nice comment!! - We can tell you the following: We know that there are already some people out there in the US who are building. The problem we see at the moment is that it's not easy to get the materials like liner, pond-bags and so on. Nearly impossible seems to be to get professional welders. -
But anyway, if you need help with anything, we will always try to help!
Best regards,
Ines von Teichswimmer
Impressive. What type of liner is that. Does it glue together
No, sorry, it does not glue together. It is PVC-pond-liner. Has to get thermically welded!'
Best, Ines von Teichswimmer
How hot does your weather get there? It hit 110 here last week, just curious if our high temps would be a serious problem...
Hi Paige,
thanks for your question. - Well, 110 is really hot, we do not get temperatures like that really. We have high temperatures in summer between 86 and 93, sometimes for a couple of weeks and maybe more. We could get 100 on some days, but not more, I would say.
We have been thinking a lot about this topic, climate and temperatures. And we are not sure yet. We think it could work (nobody has tried so far) because in Austria there are already systems that heat (natural) water in spring and fall. If that does not harm the "water biology" and the microorganisms, then it should actually work with swimmteichs as well, but - as I said - we have no proof of that. - One thing is sure: If we would build a swimmteich in a very hot country/tropical climate, we would pay more attention to the size of the deep zone (in relation to the other zones) and the depth in general (we would probably try to go down to 13 ft if possible. Just to make sure).
Where do you live that it's that hot?
Best regards, Ines von Teichswimmer
Do you have to have a deep end or can it be 4.5 feet across?
Hi Gina, it should have a deep end to work well! Deeper than 4,5 feet......
Best regards, Ines von Teichswimmer
Great vide , why do you need the yellow pipe if there no pumps ?
Something has to move water, pumps or aerator. This video doesn't show you anything concrete just how to dig a hole and put foil and gravel.
@@dingradinaluigeo706 I think there are saying the natural heat transfer within the water by convection keeps the water circulating, but still not sure why the perferated yellow pipe under the gravel, if there's no pump, how much aeration will occur with very slow convection water passing through it ?
@@carlrutherford8456 I have a natural pool but I have implemented several filtration systems because without filtration it does not work. Those pipes are put for water percolation, water passes through them and then through the pebbles to the surface or vice versa. but it still needs maintenance. I don't believe anything the lady says in those clips, nor does she say how it actually works.
The pipes aid circulation of water through the rock bed that is acting as a large biofilm accumulation filter. The only aid the circulation has is thermal and turbulence from swimming. I think the system holds up if you have the proportions of gravel area to swim area correct. This type construction will take more apace than a biofilm with pump system where the filter area can be quite small due to the enhanced flow the pump provides. The disadvantage I see with this system is that the cleaning is very manual and there is no assistance from a built in pump system (ie back flushing by reversing the pump in a traditional biofilm filter system). I’ve wondered if adding a low flow circulation pump to this system could provide any benefit for basic operation or just for cleaning to make the job a little easier and more convenient. This is my understanding of the system anyways… :)
Hi Carl,
thanks for that question, many people want to know.....
The (in this case) yellow pipes are drainage-hauses. As that areas gets filled upn with gravel that pipes are there to guarantee that the microorganisms (that are responsible for the purification of the water) have a place to live and survive. Second, the pipes avoid that the milieu in the gravel gets anaerobic. The pipes make sure that the water can circulate in the gravel.
How does the water circulate? - conic walls support the circulation. The depth influences the circulation as well because warm water rises, cold water sinks. And then there is the natural circulation that is initiiated by wind or any movements in the water (fishing leaves, swimming, .....) Anything that moves the water surface makes the water flow through those yellow pipes...... and that's it.
So I dont think the bags I got will work. I don't think they are strong enough. I ordered produce bags for onions. I look everywhere and can't find anything else. I think sand bags are too tightly woven I won't get an water passing through. I looked everywhere for some kind of mesh erosion bag I can fill with rocks and can't find anything. My final thought is maybe landscape fabric if I find one strong enough to hold back rocks. I thought I could lay down lsndscape fabric fill with rocks then fold the fabric back over the top and fill in behind the roll with more rock. Just want to keep rocks from falling into the deep end. Any suggestions or alternatives anyone else has tried? I supposed I can always try wood but that's and expense I hadn't considered. Got my hole dug and my liner will be here tomorrow. I'm smoothing my edges and walls out today and tomorrow
oh my god..... have you ever completed? - We have to find some solution for that bags' material. It's actually easy: it's a material for shading tennis courts...... just have to find someone in the US who will sew it for us/you......
pls tell us what happened to your project!
Is the irrigation pipe the one with the holes, so water can enter through the length of the pipe
Hi Lara, I am not sure if we are talking about the same thing: Yes, the yellow pipes have holes so that the debris can enter the pipes and because of the natural flow of the water, is taken out of the gravel case. They are called DRAINAGE PIPES.
Best regards, Ines von Teichswimmer
I just don’t get how these are built without reinforcement to the walls. All the DIY pools I’ve come across use concrete walls. Wouldn’t this potentially have structural issues in the future?
Really like this video, where can I find all the instructions to a Teich natural pool like in this video?
Dear Roy,
please have a look at our other videos - the whole channel is the instructions. - But of course you might also like our book.
Here is the link to the construction video of our own swimmteich:
th-cam.com/video/55s-yh8dDpY/w-d-xo.html
And here is the video about this channel:
th-cam.com/video/9CktEVZ_QSo/w-d-xo.html
And here the link to our book:
www.amazon.de/DIY-swimmteich-construction-according-Teichdoctor-method/dp/3950497714/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_de_DE=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&crid=J2451R00X1NN&keywords=DIY+-+how+to+build+a+natural+pool&qid=1650883637&s=digital-text&sprefix=diy+-+how+to+build+a+natural+pool%2Cdigital-text%2C124&sr=1-1
All the best, Ines
What is that yellow pipe for?
How does the water flow around the yellow pipes into the regeneration zone? Is there a pump? If so how big is the pump? Juat a regular pool pump like for a koi pond?
At timestamp 5:00, you started adding black/dark green sacks near the yellow piping. What are these and what is the purpose? Thank you!
Hi, sorry for the late answer. - I am not sure if I know what you mean. But I think you have seen the green/black sand bags that they put on/beside the yellow pipes. Those bags are very strong, are filled with gravel and have only one single pupose: keep the pipes down on the bottom while the gravel is put on top.
Best regards, Ines von Teichswimmer
Are these available in USA?
Dear Lynn, - as it is a DIY-system, it should be available everywhere in the world. - It just depends on the materials..... We know of a few swimmteichs in the US, there will be more and more with time passing......
Best regards,
Ines von Teichswimmer
How much does something like this cost (around)
Hi Ronald,
When we built 6 years ago, it was 120 Euros per square meter. 2 years ago it was 130 Euros per m2. I suppose, with the prices now all going up, you have to consider 150 Euros per m2.
So - ours, 6 years ago, cost us about 10.000 Euros which is - in our opinion - nothing compared to what we received.....
Best Regards, Ines von Teichswimmer
Where did you get your pond liner?
Hi Gregory,
they got their pond liner from a local trader.
Best regards, Ines von Teichswimmer
@@teichswimmer6746 hello!
Thank you for the reply.
Do you know if they would be willing to do a shipment to the US, or are they strictly local?
@@gregorysatcher4366 Hello again, hm, difficult question. I could ask them. But I have experienced from others that it is not as easy as I had thought to find thermal welders in the US. - So before we are thinking about shipping the liner you should maybe find out if you have someone to work with the PVC liner. - Keep in mind: professional roof welders know how to weld pond liners, It's just that they might not have the practise to weld so many corners (steps, .....). But they do know how to thermically weld! - I will ask the local trader, anyway! Best regards, Ines
Why do all pools have to be deep .....if i was building a pool i would just make it so it only goes up peoples waist
Hi and thanks for your comment! - Well, I think everybody with children knows how they enjoy to dive into the water - and that would not be possible if the water went only to peoples waists! - And in our case - with a SWIMMTEICH = a natural pool that works without technical units and without chemical substances and without plants - the depth is necessary to keep the water clean. (It's not only the depth, but it's one of the "secrets" of its function......)
Happy Christmas!
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