echopools-brochureen-dec07

8/7/2019 Echopools-BrochureEN-dec07

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ECO POOLS

Natural swimming ponds do not use the technology of chemical desinfection and

filtration. Instead, they use nature's infinitely more sophisticated technology: ecological

balance. Just like in a natural lake, micro-organisms break down organic matter intomaterials which plants can use as nutrients.

The use of natural processes in artificial swimming pools was pioneered in Austria byPeter Petrich (1985) and a company called Biotop. Since then, the principle has been

widely used in European residences, hotels and resorts. The swimming pools are

ecologically balanced, self cleaning and beautiful.

Instead of worrying about whether chlorine is damaging their eyes and mucusmembranes, swimmers can feel confident in doing what their ancestors have done since

prehistoric times: swimming in fresh clean water.

More and more home owners consciously want to turn their ideal of a purely natural

swimming pond into a reality, a pond without the use of chemicals!

Figure 1- EcoPool with beach entryTopia

Figure 2- EcoPool with step entry Weixler/Hauer


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Design principles for eco pools

OCT and TCT

The ONE-Chamber-Technology (OCT) combines the regeneration and swimming areainto one water body. The regeneration area is conceived as a flow-trough soil filter

(retention filter) planted with water and riparian plants. Water circulation via a pump or asmall creek can be added to enhance the purification efficiency. The OCT is the best

choice for small pools with little traffic. To separate the regeneration area from the

swimming area to minimize disturbance of the plants, we install our AquaGreenFloating Raft.

The TWO-Chamber-Technology (TCT) uses two physically separate areas to separate the

swimming from the regeneration area. The regeneration is done in the same way as in theOCT by means of a retention basin filter. The water is pumped from the swimming area

into the regeneration area. This system is typically used in installations with higher public

traffic. The TCT allows for the swimming area to be significantly larger than in the OCT.

Figure 3- EcoPool (OCT) with Floating Raft division


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The TCT is also more economical as the regeneration basin can compensate for

evaporation losses in the swimming area during longer droughts; fresh water is saved to

refill the pool. This system can completely obliterate all planting and vegetation in the

swimming area. And the regeneration area remains completely undisturbed by the trafficin the swimming zone.

Swimming Zone

This zone can be walled and tiled (and cleaned with a normal pool bottom cleaner). Oneor two walls of the pool will rise above the water surface to allow access for swimmers.

The other walls remain around 100mm/4 below water level to allow the exchange of

water but hold the soil and plants back in the regeneration area (in one chamber

technology, OCT).

Regeneration Zone

A marginal area planted with aquatic and semi-aquatic plants; either as a retention basinfilter or as a floating island:

a) Soil-free, retention basin filter

This system requires between 50 and 60% of the overall surface for regeneration. Thatleaves 40-50% for swimming. We found that the smaller the swimming area the more

technology has to be employed. An easily manageable size lies between 80-250m/800-2,500ft.

The Retention basin filter is composed with a mixture of gravel, lava stones (2.5-5mm/0-

1/4) and Zeolite. This layer should be 50cm/20 thick. This filter layer should becovered with lime-free washed gravel 16/32 (0-3/4). The filtration basin should be soil-

free so the plants are forced to take their nutrients out of the water. The selection of

riparian plants will be installed on top of that gravel layer.

Figure 5- TCT in residential installationBionova

Figure 4- TCT in public poolBionova


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Nitrates and phosphates are filtered out of the water by microbes and reed plants.

Coliformes and viruses are typically eliminated by the natural UV radiation from the sun.

Pruning and removing plants (usually in winter) takes nutrients out of the pond.

b) Floating Blanket Filter

This system needs much less area to install the filtration plants: we calculate 5% of the

overall surface; which leaves you 95% for swimming.

The most natural way to control algae are plants as they use the same nutriments

(phosphates and nitrates). The most effective way to use plants are the floating blanketsas they provide the largest possible contact surface between water and micro-

organisms/plants on the other. The plants on the blankets extract nutrients quicker from

the water column than algae thus controlling them by deprivation.

Our floating blankets are composed of three components:

1. Non-degradable floating matting2. Degradable planting matting (coco fibers), pre-planted or not3. Submersible aeration system

Figure 7- Floating Blanket, underside Figure 6- Floating Blanket in EcoPool


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c) Plant-free Ionizer Filtration

This system does not require a distinct filtration area (you can retro-fit it into your

conventional swimming pool filtration plumbing); it consists of an electrode that is madeof 96% pure copper and 4% pure silver in an alloy. A very week current excites the

electrode to emit copper and silver ions into the water; these ions effectively kill algae,bacteria and viruses (what chlorine and bromine dont do). An additional ozonizer will

get rid of the organic contaminants (body oils, suntan lotions, etc.) and dissolves a bio-

shield that can build up around algae cells preventing the copper ions from getting to thealgae and kill it.

The Ionizer system does not take nutrients like phosphate and nitrate out of the water; so

the potential source of algae persists; it only kills algae. The substances resulting are to be

discharged into the sand/cartridge filter system.

The systems a and b can tolerate fish, while the ionizer system will not affect fish but it

will remove their natural food sources so it will be imperative you never forget to feedyour fish!

Mechanical filtration

Mechanical filtration is still needed to remove floating debris like fallen leafs etc. A

pump draws water from the Regeneration Zone and from the surface of the pool, to

remove floating debris; it returns the water to the swimming Zone, after filtration.

Figure 8- Ionizer Components installed


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HeatingIf the pool is heated the plants will grow faster than normal and will have to be thinned

from time to time.

Drainage DitchA drainage ditch surrounds the pool to keep out surface water runoff (which wouldintroduce nutrients and affect the ph of the water); it will be used at the same time inlarger eco pool applications to keep the pool level constant (absorb run-off from high

traffic in the pool). A remote retaining basin (under ground) can then be used to

compensate for water losses (evaporation, splash, dry seasons, etc.).

Liner and Water proofing

Pond liners come in three different materials: EPDM, PVC and HDPE. They can bedelivered in rolls or cut-to-size. We prefer EPDM liners 45mil thick; they are

ecologically harmless as they do not contain softeners and are often build from recycled

material and are very easy to install. They are also resistant against root penetration,decay and mould. Liners need to be installed on a layer of fine clean sand of 25mm/1

thickness. Between the liner and the sand you need to install a underlayment foradditional protection.

Algae control begins already in the planning and construction phase. So will the

proliferation of algae be bigger using light colored liners than black ones.

The floor of the swimming area should if need becovered with lime-free hard riverrocks that do not dissolve any minerals into the water.


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Pumps and Fittings

The pump is typically dimensioned so that it recycles the whole water body once a day.

The installation of a skimmer (or more) should collect leafs and other floating debrisfrom the water body before it sinks down and create muck. After the water has passed

through the filter system it can be recycled into the water body through fountain heads or

source stones.

Round skimmers are preferable as they can adapt to varying water levels; typically

between 10 and 15cm (4 to 8).

In TCT systems, the water should be channeled through a planted and gravel-filled pre-

filter channel before it reaches the regeneration area.

As a filter system is always as good as the maintenance it is very important to regularly

check and clean all parts of the filtration system to prevent clogging and accidentalbackwash.

Skimmers that are permanently installed should be 1m/3ft long per 60-80m/600-800sqftof water surface.

Border- and Deck Design

A section of the pools is typically covered with a decking. It should be natural wood that

can be treated with natural products against rotting and mildew1. It is important to treatthe wood before installation to prevent leakage of chemicals into the water. It is equallyimportant to keep the decking construction always aerated to prevent decay.

1 For example: LIFETIME, http://www.valhalco.com/


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Appendix

Here is a list of a proven combination of floating plants that help control algae:

1. Ceratophyllum2. Dilodea Canadensis (this one is very challenging other plants and should only be

applied in extreme algae conditions)3. Myreophyllum specatum (prefers alkaline water conditions)4. Myreophyllum verticillatum (grows better in low-alkaline conditions)5. Ultricularia vulgaris (not good for new installations, need established biosphere)6. Nymphoides paltata7. Nymphaea tetraguna8. Nymphaea cultivars9. Nymphaea alba10.Nuphar lutea

The Nymphaeas need nutrient rich special soil and minimum of 6 hours sunshine per day.

The planting baskets should be lined with coco matting to prevent wash-out of the

nutriment rich soil.

Here our choice of riparian plants:

1. Phragmites australis2. Typha angustifolia3. Typha latifolia4. Typha minima5. Iris pseudacorus6. Carex gracilis7. Carex pseudacyperus8. Scirpus lacustris9. Butomus umbelatus10.Sparganium erectum

The plants can be installed individually or they can be supplied on pre-grown matting

(floating islands), for small ponds round shapes with 50-75cm/20-30. Pre-grown

matting have the advantage that their water purification capacity is already fullydeveloped at the moment of installation. This is not the case with on-site planted

installations.

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