de is the highest filtration rate filter available. Just know that you have to reapply the de after you backwash thats the main difference between it and sand. To best describe the filtering ability, if you have ever been in a pool treated with a sand filter you will notice small particles floating in front of the pool light when it is dark and the light is on. With the de filter you wont have those minute particles. You literally have crystal clear water. An alternative would be to use your sand filter but to use the zeosand in it, which is going to have almost the same filtering ability as DE. You may want to research the zeosand or ask people here because i dont know if it gets good reviews or not, I am just telling u how it is on paper.