Sphagnum Moss

Sounds like a ridiculous idea, does it not? The idea of taking a plant that grows in damp, dirty areas of the planet and using it means of cleaning up bacteria and biofilm in pool water sounds… downright preposterous!

If you think about it, though, how much more ridiculous does this idea seem than tossing algae-eating catfish into pools in the yards of foreclosed homes in Florida?

A young company in Minnesota called Creative Water Solutions has developed a line of products which make use of a specific species of Sphagnum Moss which has demonstrated anti-bacterial properties as part of wound dressings in combat situations.

“In that issue there was a single page article about the use of Sphagnum moss in WWI to treat battle wounds. The Germans and the English found that if they packed their soldiers wounds in a special species of Sphagnum Moss that they survived in higher numbers than if they packed the wounds in cotton. The author postulated that the effect was due to the amazing absorbency of the moss. Being an expert in wound healing, a trauma surgeon, and knowledgeable about wounds and infection, I postulated that this moss must have an effect on bacterial growth.” ( source )

All fine and dandy for folks with gaping wounds caused by heavy artillery, shrapnel, and/or gunfire, but what the HECK does this Sphagnum Moss stuff do for the purity and clarity of water?

“I remembered our canoeing experiences in the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness in Northern Minnesota. I remembered the clear water that I could drink from the middle of the lakes and made the connection that maybe that crystal clean water was due to the huge area of bogs that condition the water of those lakes. I decided to get some moss from the lab and see if it would work its magic in my swim spa. I bought a paint strainer bag from Home Depot, filled it with the moss plants that had been sterilized, and threw it in the pool. Within one week the water was improved and by two weeks it didn’t smell and was crystal clear.” ( source )

Sometimes a little curiosity and a willingness to try something new can take a person, or in this case a company, quite far. Nine years after first experimenting with Sphagnum Moss, Creative Water Solutions has brought their product to market in the form of a water treatment tool for pools and spas: SpaNaturally and PoolNaturally.

While the company has not yet announced any plans to enter the drinking water market with their product, the fact that Nature has used Sphagnum Moss as a water purifier successfully since the dawn of time leads us to believe someone has already begun developing a Sphagnum Moss home water filtration unit.

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Test for: bacteria in water, nitrites and nitrates in pool water, copper in pool water, iron in pool water and total hardness in pool water.