I wonder if zeolite could replace pine/fur bark without throwing off the soil pH too much. Based on that French website it appears to not affect the maple.
Sounds like it would compliment DE well. I theorize that it wouldn't easily suck water from the roots with how much water DE holds, unless the medium was allowed to become bone dry, which I have read DE does as well under those circumstances.
Maybe I will try 50/30/20 of DE/L/Z compared to the same ratio DE/L/Bark.
And then maybe 75/25 and 90/10 DE/Z compared to my plants currently in 100% DE.
I know it might be semantics, but I think using the word "replace" is just plain wrong. Zeolite and Bark are NOT at all alike. One could NEVER replace the other in chemistry nor physical structure. Bark is a "dynamic" particle in that it begins deteriorating as soon as you water the mix the first time. The bark slowly releases organic acids as it decomposes. Zeolite, is a mineral, it is not inert, while "fresh" it will bind up various cations, and slowly release some once the all the bonding sites are saturated. This dynamic cation exchange property is completely different than what bark does. The structure of the zeolite does not break down over time, where bark eventually crumbles into "dust" or "mud" in the 2 to 3 year span.
So one product does not replace the other.
However, you can create unique mix designs with bark or without bark. The mixes are not "replacements" for each other, each mix will have its unique characteristics based on the ingredients.
Based on the components of your mix you need to modify your watering habits, and your fertilizer choices. The various mixes are unique, and require unique adjustments in watering and fertilizing and repotting frequency. Each is unique. There is no replacement for Akadama, no replacement for bark, no replacement for DE. These are all unique. You need to understand your media, and how it works in a mix.
My suggestion is to pick materials for your potting mix based on your individual local availability, cost, and your desired watering habits and your desired fertilizing habits. Then for your mixed collection of conifers and deciduous, use only 2 different mixes made from your selection of ingredients. Limiting to 2 or 3 basic mix designs will make it easier to keep track of what needs water when, and what needs fertilizing when. One key for me is availability, if I run out, I need to be able to restock within a few days. That is one factor that drives my selection.
This all seems incredibly complex. And part of the problem is the science behind the different mixes is not well documented in layman's terms. There are "tried and true" mixes, and there are experimental mixes. My suggestion is to go with the "tried and true" designs. Keep it simple. There is plenty of documentation that most mixes that include only a single component, the 100% mixes, have serious shortcomings. Once you get to a 3 component mix, performance is usually pretty good. Pick one component for long term soil structure, pick one for water holding capacity, and then pick one component for unique properties, for example pH buffering, or perhaps for CEC, or pick one like Akadama, that has a unique suite of properties.
Then once you pick your components - stick to them and learn how to water them and fertilize with them. IF you have a thousand mixes, you will never figure out when to water or fertilize.