Hi Poolrookie;

You've got more questions than we've got good answers. Once you've treated a pool with all that goop from your pool store, it becomes very hard to predict what will happen next.

What's worse, you are in the worst of all possible pool worlds: you have both algae (which needs chlorine) and metals (which will stain if you add as much chlorine as you need) AND you've got poolstore goop in your pool, which essentially means that all the rules about what will happen next evaporate, because we can't predict how the goop will affect things.

Anything I, or anyone else here, tells you to do will be a guess at best. It might be a good guess, but that's all. For example, your last question, about 'bleach or metal out', I can't answer. And if you do both, well bleach tends to break metal out (if it's HEDP) down.

So here's what I think:
+ It's good you've got the sand filter; that will help.
+ You're getting a good test kit; that will be essential.
+ You have 'free' water, so dumping and draining won't cost anything.
+ If you'd started the pool the right way, you'd probably be all clear now.
+ But if you keep working with what you got, you may not get it clear before school starts back!

So, (you can probably see where I'm going with this!) do this;

+ Use the pool as best you can, now.
+ Add some more algaecide, till the pool looks like a suds bath -- it will eventually kill the algae and it won't make the iron worse.
+ Use the trichlor, but not the bleach
AND
+ Order your kit
+ Send me the EXACT name and brand of the "metal out", and any other chemicals you have.
+ Purchase or order 2 quarts of polyquat and 2 quarts of HEDP, if you don't already have those
+ Purchase 5# of stabilizer for your pool
+ Test your creek water, once your kit arrives, and give use the results.
+ Have your creek water tested at your pool store, and give us the iron results.
+ Get other chemicals (acid, borax, washing soda) once we've seen the fill water results.


THEN, drain and refill your pool.

+ Do NOT add bleach while refilling.
+ Instead, add a full dose of polyquat -- 1/4 quart as soon as you start filling -- to control algae and help filter out goo, including iron
+ Fill THROUGH your circulation system, if at all possible, by putting the fill hose in your skimmer and starting the pump.
+ Add stabilizer via a sock (you'll be cleaning your filter too much to add it via the filter).

You'll also need to:
+ Add HEDP (metal out, maybe, depending on brand) based on test results.
+ Once you have the circulation system going, add a trichlor tab
+ Gradually raise pH
but how and when will depend on fill and test results.

My guess would be -- and I'll be able to tell more once you tested your fill water -- that you can be clear and blue in just a few days -- with minimal added expense.