System Living Pool

How does a Living Pool „work“?

Having two separate water cycles allows an economically-efficient and energy-saving use of the pumps. During the first cycle, the surface of the water is skimmed and floating particles are removed from the water. The pump is only in operation during the day. During the second cycle, organic impurities are degraded and phosphorous is eliminated from the water. This pump runs continuously during the bathing season. Water features such as a mill stone or waterfall can be integrated in both water cycles. Biotop has always attached a great deal of importance to designing technical components that are simple and easy for the user to understand.

The Living Pool looks like a conventional pool but is in fact a fully functional biological pool. The Biotop Living Pool requires absolutely no chlorine or any other chemicals and offers the ultimate swimming enjoyment in crystal clear water.

Many homeowners dream of being able to swim in their own backyard, but hesitate to use chemicals in their pool – especially when children will be enjoying the pool as well. Chlorine can not only be damaging for the natural environment, but also unhealthy for people. The Living Pool turns swimming into an uplifting experience for the senses.

This uncomplicated system has many advantages. For example, the pool does not have to be emptied for the winter; there is no need to remove the water in the pipes, and the pumps remain in place. Only the filter material of the PhosTec Upstream has to be replaced every few years. This is a major convenience that all swimming pool owners will no doubt appreciate.

Technical components

Schematic cross section

Curved Sieve skimmer

The purpose of the curved sieve skimmer is to remove floating particles from the Living Pool. The water flows over a curved screen with a mesh width of only 0.3 millimetres that removes even the smallest particles. A sophisticated mechanism controls the water flow via a flexible flap so that the correct amount of water always flows over the screen. Biotop was granted a European patent for this innovation.

Advantages

• Even the finest particles are eliminated from the system
• The screen is self-cleaning
• Nutrients are removed from the water

Bio compact filter

Water flows vertically through the bio compact filter from top to bottom and is biologically cleaned along the way. Organic compounds and impurities that could cause cloudy water are broken down by microorganisms. The result is crystal-clear water. To optimise the cleaning performance of the microorganisms, water flows through the biofilter permanently. The biologically cleaned water then flows back into the pool.

Advantages

• Biological cleaning with no need for chemicals
• Functions with low energy requirements
• The bio compact filter is comparatively small in size and is installed under the deck, invisible to the user
• Extremely space-saving, requires less space than conventional filter systems - space requirement only 1/5 of a conventional gravel filter

PhosTec Upstream phosphate filter

The PhosTec Upstream phosphate filter efficiently binds the phosphorus dissolved in the water without the use of chemicals. Phosphorus promotes the growth of algae. By binding it, the algae are literally “starved”. The pool water flows through the filter from bottom to top to minimize the risk of clogging the filter. Nutrient-poor water is then pumped back into the pool by a small pump. Biotop was granted a European patent for combining the biofilter with the PhosTec Upstream filter.

Advantages

• Phosphorus is reliably removed from the water
• The filter’s compact size saves space
• Easy handling
• Simple replacement of the filter material
• Long lifespan

Submersible pump chamber

Biotop has developed a special water circulation concept for Living Pools. The pump is completely submersed in water in a chamber, allowing water to flow to it simply by the force of gravity instead of being “sucked in” by the pump. Mounted at the bottom of the chamber, the pump conveys the water back into the pool through pressure pipes.

Advantages

• Submersed pumps are quiet, creating almost no noise
• The low noise level means the chamber can be installed underneath the wooden deck
• The pump does not need to be uninstalled for winter
• The pipes do not need to be emptied for winter
• Incoming and outgoing pipes can be regulated individually

Pool robot

The pool robot cleans the walls and bottom of the pool automatically.

Carbonator

A Carbonator can be built in optionally and supplies CO2 from a natural source into the swimming water. This provideds the biofilm in the Living Pool with carbon, as well as regulating the pH value. This unique process was developed and patented by Biotop.

Two water circuits: Easy to operate

The separation into two water circuits allows the pumps to operate economically and with minimal use of space. The first circuit is responsible for cleaning the surface of the water and removing floating particles. Its pump runs throughout the day. The purpose of the second circuit is to eliminate organic compounds. Its pump runs continually during the swimming season. Features like rock fountains, waterfalls or curtain fountains can be integrated into either or both of the circuits.

Optional

The components 2, 3 and 4 can be installed in a single unit , the Combi-Box, to save space.