Last updated on December 5th, 2025 at 11:20 am
For years, you’ve faced a tough choice when it comes to swimming at home. You could install a traditional pool with clear water and chlorine, or you could build a natural swimming pond that looks beautiful but doesn’t always work as expected. Both options have benefits, but they also come with problems that can make them less than ideal for your garden and your family.
We developed a new approach that takes the best parts of both systems and leaves out the worst. Our method gives you crystal-clear water without harsh chemicals, and it fits into smaller spaces without needing massive planting areas. We spent years learning how to filter water properly, control algae growth, and create a swimming space that’s safe from day one. The result is a swimming pond that looks natural, works reliably, and gives you the confidence to enjoy clean water in your own garden.
You can now have a natural swimming pond with crystal-clear water that doesn’t rely on chlorine or large planting beds.
The filtration system removes silt and harmful bacteria whilst keeping the water clean enough to feel safe swimming in from the first day.
The design fits into smaller garden spaces and stops blanket weed from growing by controlling phosphate levels in the water.
Watch Michael Wheat Explain the System
Advantages of Traditional Pools
Swimming pools create a safe space for swimming. Builders use heavy engineering and lots of concrete to make a reliable environment.
Most of us grew up loving swimming pools on holiday. We associate them with joy and happiness from our childhood experiences.
Traditional pools offer several benefits:
Safe swimming environment
Predictable water quality
Familiar design that people trust
Proven track record
The crystal clear water in pools gives you confidence when you swim. You know exactly what to expect every time you use the pool.
Drawbacks of Chemical Treatment
The main problem with swimming pools is the need for chemicals. These chemicals make the water safe, but many people want to avoid them.
You swim in chlorine when you use a standard pool. This is the one aspect that people are trying to move away from.
No one wants to drink a glass of chlorine water. Yet when you swim, you will drink some of the water. It’s almost impossible not to swallow at least a small amount.
Chemical treatment keeps pools clean and safe, but you end up swimming in treated water that contains substances you wouldn’t choose to drink.
Natural Swimming Ponds Overview
Natural swimming ponds look stunning in your garden. They blend into your outdoor space like they’ve always belonged there. Unlike concrete pools that just sit in the ground, these ponds become part of your landscape.
With a properly designed natural swimming pond, you get a vast area of water that stays crystal clear from the first day. This gives you the beautiful appearance you want without sacrificing swimming space.
If you want plants around your pond, you can add them outside the water. This keeps your swimming area large whilst still creating the natural look you desire.
Problems with Traditional Pond Systems
Traditional natural swimming ponds often feel unpredictable. They don’t give you the same safety level that pools provide. Many people don’t understand how these systems work.
The biggest issue is the heavy planting requirement. You might lose 50% of your pond area to plants and gravel beds. These beds need to be deep and take up massive amounts of space. This leaves you with a really small zone for actually swimming.
You’ll also notice silt building up on the bottom of many existing ponds. When you go for a swim, the silt rises up and gets in your face. This makes the experience unpleasant.
Key limitations include:
No UV system capability
Large gravel beds inside the pond
Bad bacteria must grow alongside good bacteria
Limited swimming space
Silt accumulation problems
Blanket weed growth
Traditional systems can’t use UV systems because they rely on bacteria growing in their gravel beds. UV light kills bacteria, wiping out both good and bad types. This makes the whole system fail.
Space becomes a real problem for many homeowners. You might not have room for huge planting beds. Or you simply don’t want them taking up your garden.
Restrictions of Traditional Pools and Planted Pond Systems
Area and Vegetation Limitations
When you choose a natural swimming pond with traditional methods, you face significant space challenges. These systems require about 50% of the total area for plants and gravel beds.
The gravel beds need to be large and deep. This leaves you with a much smaller swimming zone than you might expect. If your garden space is limited, this becomes a real problem.
Key space issues include:
Large gravel bed requirements
Deep planting zones taking up half the pond area
Reduced swimming space
Limited practicality for smaller gardens
You might not want a massive planting bed dominating your garden. Whilst you can add plants around the outside of the pond if desired, being forced to dedicate half your pond to vegetation means less room for actual swimming.
For open water swimmers, the swimming zone is what matters most. Traditional natural pond designs don’t prioritise this space effectively.
Protection and Health Concerns
Natural swimming ponds don’t provide the same level of protection that pools offer. This creates concerns about who can safely use them.
Traditional natural systems rely on bacteria growing in their gravel beds. They must allow bad bacteria to grow alongside good bacteria. This is how their biological filtration works.
Critical safety limitations:
| Issue | Impact |
| No UV systems allowed | Cannot eliminate harmful bacteria |
| Silt buildup | Water becomes cloudy when disturbed |
| Unpredictable water quality | Bacterial balance can shift |
| Drinking water concerns | You’ll inevitably swallow some water whilst swimming |
You shouldn’t swim anywhere unless you’re prepared to drink the water. This is important because it’s nearly impossible not to swallow some whilst swimming.
The silt that builds up on the bottom is unpleasant. When you swim, it rises up and gets in your face. You wouldn’t want to drink silty, sludgy pond water.
Traditional natural ponds cannot use UV systems because the ultraviolet light would destroy both good and bad bacteria in their gravel beds. This means harmful bacteria can remain in the water where you swim.
How the Michael Wheat System Came to Be
For years, you had only two options for swimming at home. You could choose a conventional swimming pool with crystal clear water and chlorine. Or you could go with a natural swimming pond that sometimes acts unpredictably.
We thought there had to be a better solution. Swimming pools create a safe space for swimming with heavy engineering and concrete. They give you happy memories from childhood holidays. But they rely on chemicals to stay safe.
Natural swimming ponds look beautiful in your garden. They blend in like they’ve always been there. But they’re unpredictable and often misunderstood.
Traditional natural swimming ponds don’t offer the safety of swimming pools. Most use heavy planting that takes up about 50% of the total area. This leaves you with:
Big gravel beds
Deep plant zones
A really small swimming zone
Space matters when you want to be near water. You might not have room for huge planting beds. You want something that looks beautiful and fits your garden whilst letting you swim safely.
When I entered the swimming pond industry, I competed with both swimming pools and existing swimming ponds. I studied what people enjoy about open water swimming and swimming pools. The goal was to create something in the middle that solved all the reasons people hesitated to install one.
We spent years on research and development. The work focused on creating a swimming pond that blends everything you need.
Our system filters water outside the pond. This isn’t new for koi ponds or ornamental ponds with clear water. But no one had transplanted this approach onto a swimming pond before.
The main challenges were:
Circulating enough water
Managing the nitrogen cycle
Handling phosphates on a large scale
Stabilising pH levels
Getting oxygen levels right
I took these challenges as a mission. The question was how to scale up what works on smaller ponds into a big, reliable, safe system.
When I visited natural swimming pools from other companies, I noticed silt buildup on the bottom. Swimming stirred up the silt and it went in your face. You shouldn’t swim anywhere unless you’d drink the water. You’ll swallow some whilst swimming. No one wants to drink chlorinated water or silty pond water.
Our system manages silt so you have very minimal amounts in the pond. The water goes through a UV system like the ones used for safe drinking water and swimming pools. I feel confident enough to drink the water we produce.
Traditional swimming ponds can’t use UV systems. They rely on bacteria growing in huge gravel beds inside the system. They accept bad bacteria to grow good bacteria. A UV system wipes out both types.
With our system, good bacteria lives in the filter. The UV removes some good bacteria, but enough stays in the filter. The UV removes bad bacteria, which makes your water safe.
| Traditional Ponds | Our System |
| Bacteria in gravel beds | Bacteria in filter |
| No UV possible | UV system installed |
| 50% planting area | Flexible planting options |
| Small swimming zone | Large swimming area |
I didn’t create filtration systems or UV systems. They existed before my business. But using them on a swimming pond required understanding water chemistry. You need to know how to put components together and direct water properly.
Through early failures and investing my own money, we learned valuable lessons. These lessons helped create the Michael Wheat system.
We keep finding ways to make projects safer and reduce running costs. We aim to work in harmony with the environment.
We’ve developed new methods to lower phosphate levels quickly. Your water stays crystal clear from day one, which can encourage blanket weed growth. Blanket weed isn’t dangerous, but it doesn’t look great.
We’ve created ways to remove phosphates from the water. This starves blanket weed and stops it from growing. You get a clear swimming pond without blanket weed over time.
Our system advantages:
Works in small spaces
Doesn’t require large planting beds
Creates a vast area of water
Ideal for open water swimmers who want space
You can add planting outside the pond if you want. We can install large planting beds, but they reduce your swimming zone. Most of our clients are open water swimmers who want maximum space to swim.
Unique Filtration and Water Treatment Approach
External Filtration Technology
Our system filters water outside the pond. Koi ponds and ornamental fish ponds have used this principle for many years to achieve clear water.
The challenge was adapting this method for swimming ponds. We needed answers to several key questions:
How to circulate enough water effectively
How to establish the proper nitrogen cycle
How to manage phosphates on a large scale
How to stabilise pH levels
How to maintain correct oxygen levels
The traditional approach to natural swimming ponds creates problems that external filtration solves. Many older installations suffer from silt buildup on the bottom. When you swim, this silt rises up and gets in your face.
Our external filtration system manages silt well. You end up with minimal silt in the pond. The water quality becomes so good that it’s safe enough to drink because you’ll inevitably swallow some water whilst swimming.
Good bacteria lives in our system’s filter rather than in gravel beds inside the pond. This keeps biological filtration working properly and allows other treatment methods to function.
UV systems are widely used for safe drinking water treatment. Swimming pools also use UV because it provides reliable safety.
Our ponds use UV treatment as a major component. Traditional swimming ponds cannot use UV systems. Here’s why that matters:
| Traditional Ponds | Our System |
| Rely on bacteria in large gravel beds | Good bacteria lives in external filters |
| Must accept bad bacteria to grow good bacteria | Filter maintains good bacteria levels |
| UV would wipe out both types of bacteria | UV removes bad bacteria without harming system |
| Cannot use UV treatment | UV treatment works effectively |
The UV system removes bad bacteria from the water. Some good bacteria gets removed too, but enough remains in the filter to keep everything functioning. This gives you the safety benefits of UV treatment without compromising biological filtration.
Understanding water chemistry is essential for making this system work. You need to know how to put components together and how to direct water flow correctly.
From day one, the water in your pond will be crystal clear. However, this clarity can initially encourage blanket weed to grow. Blanket weed isn’t dangerous, but it’s not particularly attractive.
The solution involves removing phosphates from the water. This starves the blanket weed and stops it from growing. Multiple methods work together to reduce phosphate levels quickly.
You get a large swimming area without needing massive planting beds full of gravel. If you want plants, you can add them outside the pond.
Most clients are open water swimmers who want maximum space for swimming. The system delivers that space whilst maintaining water quality through proper chemistry management.
Addressing Common Challenges in Natural Ponds
One of the most frustrating problems with traditional natural swimming ponds is silt buildup on the bottom. When you swim, the silt rises up and gets in your face, making the experience unpleasant.
You shouldn’t swim anywhere unless you’re comfortable drinking the water. This is important because you will inevitably swallow some water whilst swimming. Nobody wants to drink silty, sludgy pond water.
Our system manages the silt process effectively so you have very little silt in your pond. The filtration happens outside the pond, which removes debris and sediment before they can settle on the bottom. This keeps your swimming area clean and clear from the start.
Traditional swimming ponds rely on massive gravel beds inside the system to grow bacteria. The problem is they must allow bad bacteria to grow alongside good bacteria. You cannot add a UV system to these ponds because it would wipe out both types of bacteria.
Our system works differently. Good bacteria lives in the filter rather than in gravel beds inside the pond. This means you can safely use a UV system on your swimming pond.
The UV system removes bad bacteria from the water whilst the filter maintains enough good bacteria to keep everything balanced. Water treatment plants and swimming pools use UV systems for safe water because they are effective.
Key differences:
Traditional ponds: Bacteria grows in gravel beds inside the pond
Our system: Bacteria grows in external filters
This setup allows your pond to have crystal clear water from day one whilst maintaining safety.
Controlling Blanket Weed Development
Blanket weed isn’t dangerous, but it’s not attractive in your swimming pond. Crystal clear water from day one can encourage blanket weed to grow at first.
Blanket weed needs phosphates to survive. We’ve developed ways to remove phosphates from the water quickly. By starving the blanket weed, we stop it from growing.
Our phosphate management approach:
Remove phosphates from the water rapidly
Starve blanket weed of nutrients
Maintain crystal clear water without weed growth
You end up with a swimming pond that stays clear and won’t develop blanket weed. This gives you a vast area of clean water for swimming without large planting beds taking up your swimming zone.
Major Advantages of External Filtration Ponds
You get water that’s safe enough to drink. The system uses UV treatment, the same technology used for drinking water in many places. This removes harmful bacteria from your pond water.
Traditional pond systems can’t use UV filters. They need both good and bad bacteria to grow in their gravel beds. UV light would kill all of it.
With external filtration, beneficial bacteria lives in the filter outside the pond. The UV light removes dangerous bacteria whilst leaving enough good bacteria in the filter to keep the system working.
You should feel confident letting anyone swim in your pond. The water goes through proper treatment before it returns to the swimming area.
Transparent Water from Day One
Your water stays crystal clear from the start. You won’t see silt clouds when you swim. This is different from conventional natural ponds that often have sediment on the bottom.
The system manages silt buildup well. When you enter the water, you won’t disturb murky sediment.
The filtration happens outside the pond, just like in koi ponds and ornamental water features. This approach has worked for years in smaller water systems and now works for swimming ponds too.
You might see some blanket weed at first. It’s not harmful, but newer systems include better phosphate removal. This starves the blanket weed and stops it from growing over time.
You don’t need to deal with large gravel beds inside your pond. Traditional systems require deep gravel areas that take up space and need maintenance.
The filter works outside the pond. This makes it easier to access and service. You won’t have to manage extensive planting zones unless you want them.
Your running costs stay low. The system focuses on efficient water circulation and proper filtration without wasting resources.
Adaptable Layouts for Various Areas
You can have more swimming space. Traditional natural ponds often use 50% of their area for plants and gravel beds. This leaves you with a much smaller zone for actual swimming.
Your pond doesn’t need massive planting areas to function. If you want plants, you can add them around the outside of the pond. This gives you the choice rather than making it a requirement.
Space Comparison:
| Pond Type | Swimming Area | Plant/Filter Area |
| Traditional Natural Pond | ~50% | ~50% |
| External Filtration System | Up to 90%+ | Minimal (outside pond) |
You decide what your pond looks like. The system works in compact spaces or larger areas. Most people who choose this option are open water swimmers who want proper room to swim.
You can add plants outside the pond area rather than filling the pond itself with vegetation. Traditional natural swimming ponds often require about 50% of the total space for large gravel beds and heavy planting zones. This setup limits your actual swimming space.
With our approach, you aren’t forced to have large planting beds taking up your swimming area. You have choices:
Plant around the perimeter of the pond
Keep the water area open for swimming
Add planting beds if you prefer, knowing they reduce swimming space
The decision comes down to what matters most to you. If you’re an open water swimmer, you likely want maximum space for swimming. That’s exactly what this system delivers.
Most swimming ponds lose half their area to gravel beds and plants. You end up with a small swimming zone even if the overall pond is large.
Our system filters water outside the pond. This lets you use the entire pond for swimming. You don’t need large gravel beds inside the water because the good bacteria live in the external filter.
Key differences:
| Traditional Pond | Our System |
| 50% plants and gravel | Minimal internal planting required |
| Small swimming zone | Vast water area for swimming |
| Space at a premium | Maximum usable space |
Our projects offer a large area of water for swimming. If your garden has limited space or you don’t want a big planting bed, you still get more practical swimming space.
Blending with Your Outdoor Space
The goal is to create something beautiful that fits into your environment. Natural swimming ponds look like they’ve always been part of the garden. They blend in rather than appearing as a concrete hole in your space.
Our system keeps this visual appeal and adds the safety and clarity of a traditional pool. You get clear water from day one that looks natural in your garden. The pond looks natural even though external filtration keeps the water clean.
You can style the pond to match your surroundings. The water stays clear without visible equipment or planting zones in the swimming area. This creates a peaceful, natural look and the calming feeling of being near water.
