I'm starting a new thread for a new pool.

My MIL has a pool that has been pretty much uninhabitable for the past three or so years. She REALLY let it get away and now I'm not even sure if there is much hope beyond filling it in with dirt and planting a garden. (Only halfway kidding) I told her I would post here and hopefully you guys can help me figure out if there is anything that can be done. Any advice you give, keep this in mind: I'm going out of town on July 12 for a week. If it would be best just to leave it until after I return, let me know. MIL won't be able to be relied upon to do but the simplest of tasks and won't do ANY testing beyond strips. I'd hate to put in a lot of work now on my part only to have it go to heck in a handbasket while I'm out of town.

Pool specs:

20 x 40 IG gunite - 9 ft. @ deep end - She says 38,000 gal. ????
Pentair 2HP pump / Sand Filter
Pool Frog Cycler mod. # 5400 (currently set at 5 1/2)

Pool has pretty much been a swamp for a couple of years. Someone a while back told her she has black algea. She's been putting some stuff in lately and the water is really pretty clear right now, but the sides and bottom of pool look like something out of the Creature from the Black Lagoon movies. She said she bought 4 boxes of something called HTC Green to Blue...some sort of start up kit. She put those in about 2 weeks ago.

I tested the water today with my new Taylor test kit:
FC - 0
CC - 0
pH - 8.0 + REALLY bright pink
did the acid demand test - 1 drop
base demand - hadn't changed any after 10 drops, so I quit adding
Alk. - 80 ppm
Calcium Hardness - First did x10 test - got 200; redid test x25 and came up with 225 that way
CYA - perfectly clear all the way to top of tube - so I'm assuming zero?

A bit about this algea. Here is a link to a few pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/6448643...7626922601891/ When you brush it, nothing happens, nothing comes off. The yellow looking stuff on the steps that looks like it would just brush away doesn't budge. Maybe it's stained? One thing I noticed is that she has a nylon brush. I told her she may need a wire brush?

I don't EVEN know where to begin. Is there hope?

Thanks if you've made it this far!!