Natural pool or lagoon pool: do not confuse the two
We are often called about “a natural pool” when the project described is a lagoon pool — and the reverse happens too. The confusion is understandable: both aim at integration into the garden. Technically, they are two different worlds.
The natural pool: living water
A natural, or biological, pool does without chlorine. It works by lagooning: the water circulates towards a shallow planted regeneration zone, where purifying and oxygenating plants provide the biological filtration.
So there are two zones: the bathing pool and the filtration area. The second is not decorative, it is the treatment organ. It takes up a large surface, often comparable to that of the bathing area, which is the first limiting factor: you need land.
The lagoon pool: a shape, not a treatment method
A lagoon pool is a question of shape and integration, not of water treatment. Free form, gently sloping submerged shallow area, mineral finish, rocks and planting along the edge. The water itself is treated conventionally — chlorine, bromine or salt electrolysis — with correctly sized mechanical filtration.
In other words: a lagoon pool can look like a natural body of water while being a fully controlled technical pool. That is precisely what makes it interesting for most projects.
What really separates them
- Surface area. A natural pool requires a regeneration zone in addition to the pool. A lagoon pool uses its whole surface for bathing.
- The water. Natural pool: no disinfectant, living water with its own flora. Lagoon pool: disinfected water, clear and predictable.
- Temperature. A natural pool is difficult to heat — heat unbalances the ecosystem. A lagoon pool is heated like any other pool.
- Maintenance. Natural pool: pruning plants, managing a biological balance, accepting seasonal variations. Lagoon pool: filtration, chemical balance, cleaning — more predictable and faster.
- Summer temperature rise. In a very hot climate, a shallow regeneration zone heats up sharply, which complicates the biological balance. It is a genuine point to watch in Morocco.
And the budget?
The budget for a natural pool varies greatly with the regeneration area, the planting, the earthworks and the equipment. It generally requires more surface and a more developed landscape design than a lagoon pool treated conventionally.
Costs depend too much on the site and the project to be carried across from one country to another. A visit makes it possible to compare the solutions on a basis suited to Morocco.
Which one for your site?
A natural pool if you have the surface available, if you accept living water with its variations, if you are not looking to heat it, and if maintaining the planting does not put you off.
A lagoon pool if you want the natural look and the gradual entry into the water, but with controlled water, bathing usable all season and conventional maintenance. In our experience, that matches the real need of the great majority of the projects put to us.
There is a third way: a lagoon pool with heavily planted surroundings, rocks and a mineral finish, which gives most of the effect sought without the constraints of a regeneration zone. It is often the best compromise. To place the lagoon pool against a conventional pool, see our comparison.