Heating Up and Cooling Off

BioNova® BioSwimPonds tend to be warmer than checimcally-treated pools. This is due to the water’s shallowness in the regeneration zone relative to the rest of the pool; it acts as a passive heat sink from solar energy. The shallow, slowly moving water makes it easier to heat up. As an example, think about how long it takes to boil water. The more water you have, the more energy is needed. As long as the NSP water is not adjusted beyond the seasonal norms of naturally occurring bodies of water in your climate zone, no problems should occur.

Additionally, the aquatic plants in regeneration zones may be adversely affected by heat above 90ºF. Although warmer water generally aids in aquatic plant growth, sharp fluctuations in temperature can shock the plant.

Heating water beyond seasonal norms doesn’t affect the beneficial bacteria so much as it encourages the growth of potentially harmful pathogenic microbes, which can affect a swimmer’s health. Biological filtration used in an NSP should not be used in a hot tub, where temperatures are typically maintained in excess of 100ºF.

Colder water will also affect an NSP’s microbial community. Most biological activity is suspended below 50ºF water, as it becomes inefficient for the microbes to spend energy. Since beneficial bacteria will go dormant in colder conditions, algae blooms are unlikely to form. As the temperature climbs above 50ºF, the microbial community will “wake up” to consume the excess nutrients stockpiled during dormancy.

Solar Solutions: Controlling Natural Swimming Pool Temperature

Two methods to consider for natural swimming pool temperature control both utilize solar panels. Direct temperature control uses adaptions of solar heating panels to pipe the pool water across solar collectors continuously as the sun heats the panels. The daytime solar cycle heats the water, and the nighttime lunar cycle can cool it. Even though the pump must continually run for the pool’s volume to be heated or cooled, modern systems by FAFCO® have remarkable efficiency and reliability. These systems create enough power to operate your NSP off the electrical grid.

Closed-system temperature control uses heat exchangers to adjust pool water. A solar-powered boiler or water heater circulates independently from the swimming zone. The pool water is drawn across the exchange, absorbs the heat from the exchanger’s conductive materials then returned to the pool.

If you want to add a heating and cooling option to regulate your natural swimming pool temperature, talk to a BioNova® dealer and discuss your options for keeping the water refreshing every time you jump into the water.

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The problem with planktonic diatoms is that in freshwater environments they typically exhibit a “boom/bloom and bust” lifestyle. When conditions in the upper mixed layer (nutrients and light) are favorable, as during the spring, their competitive edge and rapid growth rate enables them to dominate phytoplankton communities. However, they typically diminish in the mid-summer when the supply of silica, iron and other micro-nutrients have been consumed.

Therefore, to keep a healthy and clear Natural Pool or Swim Pond it is important to encourage the yearlong growth of diatoms in the water by supplying them with a nano-silica based micro-nutrient formula. There are a few on the market such as Nualgi and Aquaritin. Since diatoms are limited by silica, a nano-silica based additive provides the diatoms with what limits their growth, and will therefore grow and multiply at an astounding rate throughout the year, out competing nuisance algae, benefiting the ecosystem, and helping to maintain crystal clear water.

The post How Diatoms Benefit a Body of Water appeared first on BioNova®.