Jezírka na klíč / Swimming biotope
A biotope is a piece of nature where you can swim. Water, plants, gravel and small creatures function as a single unit, so the water stays clean without a single gram of chemicals. We build turnkey biotopes throughout the country.
I would like a pond design
The term biotope refers to an environment where a community of organisms lives. A swimming biotope is an artificially created aquatic ecosystem that maintains clean water on its own: wetland plants, microorganisms in the gravel, plankton and small aquatic animals absorb nutrients before algae can grow from them. Humans add only a pump that slowly circulates the water and a skimmer that collects leaves from the surface.
Compared with swimming pond A biotope typically has a larger proportion of the plant zone and gentler banks, so it appears as a natural pool rather than a reservoir. The boundary between these two concepts is fluid; in practice, it depends on how much space you wish to allocate for swimming versus planting.
The result is water that is clear to the bottom, with a natural tint and no odour. The key is the ratio of surface areas to depths, so we devote more time to the design than to the excavation itself.
A biotope is not a maintenance miracle. It requires spring silt removal, trimming of plants and occasional leaf clearing. However, it involves an order of magnitude less work than a pool with chemicals and a filter, which needs weekly monitoring.
Where space is limited, we design swimming ponds with technical support or natural pools where plants play a secondary role and cleanliness is maintained by a biological filter.
According to the Building Act, a water reservoir up to 40 m2 on a detached house plot, at least 2 metres from the boundary, is classified as a minor structure requiring no permit or notification. Biotope ponds are usually larger, so expect to submit a notification to the building authority. If the biotope has an inflow or outflow, or a volume exceeding 300 m3, the water rights authority must also issue a statement. We will prepare the documentation and handle the notification on your behalf; however, each authority assesses cases slightly differently, so we ask in advance.
In principle there is no fundamental difference: both clean the water using plants and gravel. A biotope pond typically has a larger proportion of plant zones, gradual banks and a more natural appearance, while a swimming pond emphasises the swimming area. We always tailor the design to what matters most to you.
The bottom is covered with gravel and stone, not mud; silt is suctioned out once a year. Mosquitoes require stagnant water without predators; in a functioning biotope, their larvae are eaten by aquatic beetles, dragonflies and plankton, and the water also circulates. A functional biotope does not suffer from more mosquitoes than an ornamental garden.
Not necessarily. In a swimming biotope, fish are usually not desired as their faeces add nutrients and burden the cleaning process. If you wish to have fish, the solution is a separate koi pond with its own filtration system.
The water is clean from the moment of filling, but biological balance is established during the first season once plants have grown and bacteria have settled on the gravel. By the second summer, the biotope is stable and maintenance is limited to seasonal care.
Just a few details. We will contact you within 24 hours to discuss your expectations for the water feature and arrange a free survey.