Hi Tracylou;

I can't say I read every word above, but I have the impression that you've gotten the pool reasonably clear, and are keeping the chlorine above 3 ppm and the pH between 7.0 and 8.0. If that is correct . . . I'd leave things alone for now. Opening the filter may be trickier than you realize -- and if you can swim now, I'd wait till fall!

What I would try to do is get a test kit, before summer's over, and get the 'hang' of testing and adjusting the water. Do that now; tackle the filter later.