Natural pools and ponds — design and build
We design natural, plant-filtered pools and koi or reflecting ponds for villas, resorts and gardens in Phuket and southern Thailand. This is a new service for us, and it starts with design.
Upgrades & repairs for hotels and villas · Water features
Designed for tropical heat
A natural pool is filtered by plants and a biological filter rather than a conventional pool system. Many natural pool designs come from cooler climates. Copied directly into Phuket's heat, they tend to struggle with algae, so we design for the tropics from the start.
- Planted zones with tropical water plants, planned around the garden you have
- A technical biofilter, which reduces the area the plants need where space is tight
- UV treatment as a safeguard against algae
- Partial shade over the water, from planting, structures or the building
Circulation by day and by night
The bacteria in a biofilter need water moving through it at all times, and koi need oxygen at night. We design the circulation for both.
- A daytime circuit through the biofilter, the planted zone and the skimmers, which can run on solar power
- A low-power night circuit from the mains, which also covers cloudy days and breakdowns
- Separate pipework for the daytime and night-time circuits
- Night aeration for koi ponds, with back-up power
Koi ponds and reflecting ponds
Koi ponds are deeper and hold fish, so they need strong biological filtration, UV, shaded ledges and continuous aeration. Reflecting ponds are calmer architectural basins, designed around the view, the edge and the light. Both can be finished in PebbleCrete or in a pigmented pond coating.
Turnkey or with your builder, then a care contract
We design the system, the planting and the look of the pool or pond with you and your architect.
Converting an existing pool or ornamental pond is possible in some cases. The basin has to be drained to add the second circuit, the planted or biofilter zones and the new finish.
- Turnkey: we design, build and finish, then start the biological filtration
- With your builder: your team casts the shell, and we lay the pipework, install the system and start the biological filtration
- Care contract: biofilter cleaning, plant care and regular checks after handover
What to send for a first discussion
Send us these details so we can look at your site and talk through a design.
- Photos or drawings of the garden, or of the pool or pond you want to convert
- The location and the approximate size of the swimming zone or pond
- Whether you want a natural pool, a koi pond or a reflecting pond
- Whether you would like a turnkey build or a design carried out with your builder
Questions we are asked
Have you built natural pools before?
Not yet. Natural pools are a new service for us. We bring our pool design, hydraulics and finishing work to it, and we make this clear from the first discussion.
How do you deal with algae in Phuket's heat?
Through the design: a technical biofilter, planted zones, UV treatment, shade and continuous circulation, followed by regular care under a care contract.
Can our own builder cast the shell?
Yes. We design the system and the planting, and your builder casts the shell. We then lay the pipework, install the equipment and start the biological filtration. Responsibilities are agreed for each project.