Most media filters come with a 10-year warranty, which is longer than the lifespan of a standard cartridge filter (about 2 years). Glass media itself can last for 8–10 years because it’s made from recycled glass bottles. These are harder than standard glass and less prone to erosion. On the other hand, sand media breaks down after about 5 years. This means that media filters can last 5 times as long as cartridge filters and glass media twice as long as sand!