Hey Paul, check out a place called ecooutdoors.com.au for inspiration. I'm not sure if they're up your way but I'm sure you could get materials shipped. They have such a beautiful store with brilliant ideas. I'd be considering a stone that is cool under foot on hot Brisbane days and at least 30mm thick. You have an oval-ish shaped pool so you might consider a small coping stone to replace the brick then move on to a larger stone instead of the dated pebble, maybe a 'cush' limestone or go a bit glam and do a herringbone pattern with the right stone. Good Luck.

Hahaha, I'll be happy to do that, but I think it'll be a long wait. I'm kind of an odd one when it comes to doing stuff. I like to think things through, plan and plan again and again, and I'm trying to use as much discarded material as I possibly can. In other words, I'm trying to keep the cost as low as possible. I see so much stuff which can still be used end up at the tip, it's shameful. For the aquaponics system, I will try and replicate the ecosystem that exists in nature (safe for the air-lift pump to circulate the water). Some ways to go on how to do that on a flat piece of limited land. Like I said, lots of plans, but tough to get all the required materials. Thanks for the interest.

We built a pool exactly the same, however we didnt use laminated glass but a monolithic piece of 80mm thick Plexiglass 3mx2m from Germany. This reduced the overall cost of the pool considerably. Pool was fantastic and doubled as a water feature when not in use. Incorporating LED lighting allowed the pool to take on the mood of the night. The only downside we found with the pool was that after heaving swimming and sunscreen the waterline of the Plexiglass would need a clean. Other than that it gained lots of comments and was even used for photo shoots and promo work.

Summer in Australia is all about the outdoors. For many homeowners, spending summer lazing around on the back deck or beside the pool is the best way to enjoy that Aussie sun. But which deck is the right deck? There are a few questions you need to consider when choosing a deck. Is the material fire safe? Does it have a great appearance? Will it resist salt and chlorine? What is the slip resistance? Is it safe to walk on? Is it pet friendly? DECO explored 4 main types of decking around pools and spas. TIMBER The three main types of timber decking available are Pine, Rainforest Merbau and Hardwood. Timber is a really beautiful decking material, however, it requires a lot of maintenance including painting/oiling every 6-12 months, stripping and re-sealing every 3-4 years, and over time it will deteriorate. A timber deck has great dimensional stability, although it is subject to shrinking and warping, as well as having a poor fire safe rating and poor resistance to salt and chlorine. COMPOSITES Composite decking is manufactured product from either China, Australia or America. Chinese and Australian composites are inclined to fade rapidly and have some dimensional stability issues. American composites have a higher plastic content, making them the most durable of the three. The plastic, however, retains a lot of heat and becomes impossible to walk on with bare feet in direct sun. All composites fail for slip and chemical resistance and have a poor fire safe rating. FIBRE CEMENT SHEET + TILES Fibre cement sheets and tiles are another decking option; however, they do not provide the traditional appearance of a timber deck. This material is a durable, pet friendly and water-resistant (although the decking will become slippery when wet) decking as well as maintenance free. This particular type of decking is a good option for bush fire zone areas (BAL FZ). ALUMINIUM DECO product DecoDeck combines the natural look of timber with the strength and durability of aluminium. The decking system features a strong box section extrusion, anti-slip polyurethane powder coating and allows for expansion and contraction. DecoDeck is manufactured using powder coating sublimation technology to achieve a beautiful natural timber appearance. There is no maintenance, painting, sanding or oiling required. It is comfortable to walk on and will not retain heat like other decks do. DecoDeck withstands harsh environmental conditions and is a non-combustible product. For more information on DecoDeck please visit www.deco.net.au