What's the best way to clean an above ground pool that set for 2 years? This is actually the third year now since its last cleaning. There is algae in clumps on the bottom (there's about 4 feet of water in the pool). I've gotten what I could out with a cleaning net and I've tried to stir the water to get the algae/dirt clumps off the bottom of the pool. I don't want to start the pump up and destroy it by making it overloaded with gunk. This is my first dealing with the cleaning of a pool in about 35 years.

I am guessing that shocking and treating the pool will break down all the "crap" that's currently still in it so that we can then use the pump. But my fiance' disagrees. She thinks we should find a way to remove all the gunk that's still in the pool before we shock and treat it and then fire up the pump.

Thanks a lot for any suggestions with this.