Last question first: right now, subscribe ($14, link in my sig); after July 4th, I'm intending to set up an auto-upgrade for folks, but it will go first to folks who've been here over a year, and who have posted answers that helped OTHER people.

Question #2: About cleaning up your pool:

1. Drain, power wash with a hose or a low power pressure washer.

2. Buy dichlor Kem-Tek Dichlor 22.5lbs @ Amazon OR "Poolbrand" bagged pool shock at Sams Club. Do NOT buy elsewhere, unless you are good and reading chemical labels, and can distinguish the dichlor blends (@ Costco, Walmart, most pool stores, etc.) from the real stuff. The Sams dichlor is an EXCELLENT price; the Amazon price is not bad. Each lb will add about 8 ppm free chlorine and about 7 ppm of stabilizer. Use the dichlor to shock, and to maintain the pool till you reach 80 ppm CYA.

3. Refill and add salt -- probably about (4) 40lb bags.

4. Add 9 boxes of borax to your pool, 2 boxes at at time. Use muriatic acid (see link in sig) to keep pH below 7.8. (50+ ppm of borax will stabilize your pools pH somewhat, make it more resistant to algae, and a bit friendly to salt electrolysis. Many people also perceive that the pool 'sparkles' more -- borax does change the refractive index slightly.

5. Turn the SWCG on after your CYA reaches 80 ppm.

6. Use the remaining dichlor -- not the SWCG -- to 'shock' the pool every week or so. (See Best Guess chart in sig). This will reduce load (and increase life) on your SWCG, and will help maintain CYA levels.

7. Use borax and muriatic acid, as needed to adjust pH

8. Use K-2006, salt strips and borate strips to keep an eye on the pool. Use a K1000, HTH 6-way or local OTO kit to do a 30 second check every day or so.

9. Report your pH, TA, and calc levels, once you've got everything running. You might need to add a bit of calcium to protect your pool plaster.

. . . at least, that's how I'd do it!