Zeo - Brite/Best/Ultra ?? I'm so confused

I am going to use a Hayward 300 Lb sand filter which will then flow thru a cartridge filter. Zeobrite, Zeobest and Zeobest and Zeobest Ultra all seem to be far better than sand, But which one to use. The Ultra seems to cost an arm and a leg and I can't swim with out those. My question is, is there really that much of a difference. Would I be just as good going with the Zeobrite vs the more expensive Best or Ultra, or are there really big differences that justify the additional cost.

Also are there other products out there beside Zeo that are as good or better but less expensive. I read something about the Ultra where you pour salt in the filter to revitalize it??

And last, if my Hayward says it has a 300 lb capacity how much zeobrite do I use. The ads say that 1lb of their product is like 2 lbs of sand. Is that volume or filter capacity. Do I use 300 lbs of Zeo?? or just 150 because its lighter but the same volume as 300 lbs of sand? I'm so confused. Please advise, Thanks.

Aranon

Y'know,
You could just use filter sand and add a cup of DE everytime you backwash, getting the same effect far cheaper. One 10lb box of DE is less than $10 and will last the entire season this way.

Poconos (one of the other moderators) and I both do this and have been VERY happy with the results. Since lately filter sand has been $5/50#, you would spend $30 on the sand, and then $10 on the DE. The filtering you get is much finer than sand alone.

Another trick to get a sand filter to perform better for me is running my pump at low speed. I have LONG noticed that low speed running (over longer times, of course) results in cleaner water. The lower pressure allows smaller stuff to get caught by the filter and not being pumped back into the pool.

I cannot remember, but I think Zeobrite reacts badly with some product--it may be Nature2, causing it to release ammonia. I'm personally NOT happy about mixing ammonia and chlorine in my pool. I assume it's dilute enough to be harmless, but when mixed they release a deadly gas.

The filtering ability of zeolite is only really mariginally better than sand since most of the filtering takes place between the grains and not thru them. Zeolite usually has more angles and edges on it's surface than sand grains so it has more areas to trap the dirt. It's main advantage is its ability to chemically bind up ammonia which in theory might lessen the formation of chloramines. A salt solution is used to regenerate the ammonia scavaging capability. Don't know for sure but I suspect that a SWG or high levels of TDS would have an advese effect on the ammonia scavaging.
Adding a bit of DE to a regular sand filter will definitely help improve the filtering as will reducing the flow rate by using a 2 speed pump. I have also heard of adding Alum (aluminum sulfate) to a sand filter to help filter finer particles. I believe it is supposed to work by floccing them into larger clumps that the sand can filter out better. Don't know if it really works or not.

From what I have seen and read about zeolite media and from what I know about it from using it in aquariums (use a cartridge in my pool;)) I would look carefully at the costs involved and if possible speak to others that are using it AND have used sand before spending the extra money. Just my 2 cents!

Also, why are you using a sand filter AND a cartidge filter? Seems like a bit of overkill and unnecessary expense (not to mention the backpressure it would create). If you want your water to be really polished just get a DE filter. Would probably be much less work than having to backwash a sand filter and clean a cart! I have used sand and then cartridge in an aqaurium for coarse and fine mechanical filtration but I don't see the need for it in a pool which will not have the level of orgaincs and dirt that an aquarium gets. (At least I HOPE not.....if it did I wouldn't want to swim in it!)