Balanced Pools

When building ponds or pools in a backyard or garden, it's always important to maintain an ecological balance between the plant and animal life that will inhabit such a pond. The key to creating and maintaining balanced pools isn't difficult if one is aware of the basic necessities of both life forms.

Balanced Pools: Plants and Animals Living Together

Balanced pools provide sustenance for all the life which lives in them. Plants add oxygen to water, which fish inhale through their gills. The fish exhale carbon dioxide, which the plants need. Fish eat from the roots of floating plants. The solid waste they give off is consumed by the plants. This consumption of waste not only feeds the plants, but helps in keeping the water purified as well.

Adding water treatment chemicals and using filters which pump and purify water artificially is one way people have traditionally chosen to keep a pond healthy and free of waste. The only problem with this is that it doesn't allow nature to do what it does best, which is to maintain an ecological balance on its own. Adding too many artificial devices to the ecological process can often do more harm than good.

Natural Blueprint

The balanced relationship between plants, animals and water has worked pretty well for quite a few million years. Sometimes it's best not to complicate things too much, and just let nature be the guide in designing and building a backyard pond. Filters and artificial chemicals are OK, but a natural, ecologically balanced pond or pool is better.