Building a Natural Pond from a Swimming Pool - Ep 4

Peter Clarke gives step by step instructions on how to change your unused pool into a beautiful pond. Director, editor Howard Jackson, Wildhoop Productions. Building a Natural Pond from a Swimming Pool - Ep 4
If you have an unwanted or unused swimming pool sitting in your backyard this could be the program for you. Why not join the more than fifty other Pool to Pond converts and go with an eco-friendly, cost-effective alternative that promotes biodiversity?

We have been assisting local residents to convert their unwanted swimming pools into ponds since 2007 by supplying native fish, aquatic plants and technical advice for the conversion.
Benefits

A converted swimming pool is essentially a rainwater tank without a lid
Switching off the pool pump and filter can easily save you up to $1,000 annually on your electricity bills
The conversion is reversible
A pond enhances household sustainability by reducing toxic chemical use while providing a source of water for garden irrigation
Water quality is well within government-mandated recreational standards
Mosquitoes are not a problem
Maintaining a pond is not expensive or time-consuming
You can promote biodiversity in your own backyard.
Frequently asked questions

Are mosquitoes a problem?

No. Approximately 60 mosquito species live in the Sydney area, three to four of which are considered pests. These three to four species prefer temporary water sources and dislike living in depths greater than 30cm. These mosquitoes are typically found in saucers under pot plants.

Will my water smell?
Pond odour has not been raised as an issue with any of the conversions. The surface area of a pool is large enough to ensure that the water is relatively oxygenated.

Is the water safe?
A study facilitated by a researcher at the University of Western Sydney has shown that the water in converted ponds meets Australian recreational water guidelines. The water is "clean" enough to swim in provided that animals such as ducks are not present in large numbers, as that can lead to faecal coliform contamination. However, the water standard of converted pools does not meet drinking water guidelines.

Will a pond damage my pump and filter?
Pumps and filters are manufactured to last for approximately eight years and may need to be replaced if the pond is converted back into a swimming pool. Algae will not cause any problems for your pool equipment.
More information

If you would like to find out more about converting your pool to a pond or indeed sign up for the program, please contact us. We are very happy to help.

Pool to Pond is a part of Ku-ring-gai Council’s WildThings program, which also includes information on and support for native stingless bees in Ku-ring-gai.

Phone: Peter on 9424 0811 or Liz on 9424 0618

[saltymum]

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.

[sarahmack]

This is great! Hopefully this will take off in my home state, the land of swimming pools- Florida! Thank you!

[honeybacres]

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 ?

[donsaxon]

I believe that the time has come for me to stop swimming in a corrosive chemical bath..I want to convert my old pool.

[aliceedwards]

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??

[taramansion]

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.

[mikewoods]

Great video. Our pool has frogs and a turtle.

[bassfishingwiththeantichri]

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.

[amberemma]

What about above ground pools that have already went green? What do I do from here?

[dianadee]

I wonder if that works with pools that have vinyl liners. I'm fed up with my pool and always wanted a koi pond.

[janetcarter]

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.

[jessiecorceles]

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.

[jasonzimmerman]

How does that work with a vinyl pool liner that has aged?

[Poetessa]

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?

[frankvee]

Beautiful.. wish water was a bit more clear though. Underwater footage would have been epic.

[bmcgcreative]

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.

[JG-mtrp]

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!

[cloudygirl]

What about stagnation? Do you need to have some kind of "bubbles" to keep it healthy? Sorry, I don't know the proper term.

[SoSo-hbmy]

I am turning my pool into a pond next month

[sharon]

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 ¿??