my filter cracked

Last year in July I came home from vacation and my filter cracked underneath the multiport valve and water was spewing out. Needless to say I shut it down and did not touch it the rest of the summer because all the previous problems I've had with replacing the pump and valve and everything that decided to go wrong lastyear. My question now is it is a mosquito hotel. I have a AG 24' round vinyl liner. It has about 2 1/2 feet of water sitting in it. Thick algea on the bottom and some sticks and some things living in there :( I plan on getting the new filter this weekend and I have no clue where to start. How do I get the sticks out with out getting in the pool. Do I fill the pool 1st and than try to deal with the algea. Please helppppppppppp with any steps you would take if it were your pool :o

I would go ahead and fill it and deal with the mess when the water-to-mess ration is larger! (I am not a professional, however, so I defer to others who are.)