What filter to choose...cartridge or DE

[iardon]

I just bought a 25 lb bag of DE at American Sale for 10 bucks.

Is that a good/fair price? Just asking since that was my first DE purchase.

[Rangeball]

I'd say that's about 50% off around here

[waterbear]

One thing I didn't see mentioned but I could have missed it make sure as part of the comparison you check the cost of replacement cartridges, sand or zeolite and D.E. so you know that information as well.
hth,
Jo

Sand is not that expensive and some say it never needs replacing. In fact, most of the people in this forum do, including Ben! There are some that will debate this point, however.
DE is dirt cheap (no pun intended...well, maybe a little pun) but you need to replace it all the time so it is a continuous expense.
Cartridges are the most expensive but with proper care they last about 5 years before they need replacing so you need to figure the cost over the time period.
Zeolite, IMHO, is not really any more efficient than sand and is more expensive. It 's main advantage is it's ammonia scavaging ability and it is being pushed as the "new miracle" for your pool! Not quite snake oil but some of the claims made for it's filtering ability come close!
There are some other filter mediums such as perlite and cellulose but they are not that commen. They are DE replacements but some can also be used in conjunction with sand and cartridge filters to improve the filtering ability much like DE can.

[Tredge]

I replaced my sand with Zeobrite.....Maybe new sand would have done the same thing but my water IS clearer and I dont backwash 1/10th as often as I did with the sand.

My old sand had pea gravel in it and a Sta-rite tech told me they dont recommend that anymore because the pea-gravel just mixes with the sand over time and the newer laterals dont require the pea gravel anyways.

Looking at the material when I was putting it in....its a lot more course than sand grains and you get the immediate feeling that it would filter better.

I read somthing about "recharging" the zeolite with salt water. Since I have a SWG its recharged all the time so it seemed like a logical fit for my pool.

Its not that pricey considering I wont be replacing it for 5 years or more, if ever. It certainly doesnt filter any worse than sand and I feel better about my filter

Oh.....and when it comes time to replace it, the zeolite is half the weight of sand. Considering what a PITA digging/vacuuming all the sand out was that might be reason enough lol.

[waterbear]

I replaced my sand with Zeobrite.....Maybe new sand would have done the same thing but my water IS clearer and I dont backwash 1/10th as often as I did with the sand.

My old sand had pea gravel in it and a Sta-rite tech told me they dont recommend that anymore because the pea-gravel just mixes with the sand over time and the newer laterals dont require the pea gravel anyways.
Really depends on the filter. Some need it , some don't.
Looking at the material when I was putting it in....its a lot more course than sand grains and you get the immediate feeling that it would filter better.

I read somthing about "recharging" the zeolite with salt water. Since I have a SWG its recharged all the time so it seemed like a logical fit for my pool.
Zeolite is an ammmonia scavanger. Salt water is used to remove the ammonia from the medium to recharge that ability. If you are recharging it all the time it just means you have lost the one true advatante of zeolite since any ammonia it trapped will be going right back into your water.
Its not that pricey considering I wont be replacing it for 5 years or more, if ever. It certainly doesnt filter any worse than sand and I feel better about my filter

Oh.....and when it comes time to replace it, the zeolite is half the weight of sand. Considering what a PITA digging/vacuuming all the sand out was that might be reason enough lol.

Hope this info is helpful.