Just a quick update in case anyone else out there is starring at their dark brown opaque pool ready to cry... there is hope.

Our filter has been running for three days (lost several hours yesterday due to Tstorms, however!) and this evening I am happy to say that we have gone from dark brown completely opaque water to light iced tea which is completely and 100% transparent. We can see clear to the bottom and across the pool.

Amazing. A homemade contraption, no chemicals, and my water WILL be free of metals!

Just to be clear - we have HORRIBLE water and a cheap crappy intex pump that came with the pool and other than some shock and some clarifier from Walmart have not treated the water. The clearing is 100% thanks to this homemade pump! No sequestrants, no iron out, nothing.

Next I need to start looking into getting rid of the brown staining. Hoping we will be swimming by Sunday.... This forum is awesome! I never would have gotten this from the pool store!