Ratgirl,

Welcome to the forum.

Your main concern at this stage is to get bleach into the pool and circulate.

To do that buy 3 - 4 jugs of regular bleach from your local supermarket each day and add them in the evening all around the pool edge. Run the pump 24/7while you are doing this, until you start to see some difference occuring.

In the meantime post us some information on your pool setup, i.e. liner or concrete/plaster pool, size in gallons, inground or above ground, type of filter, i.e. whether, DE (diatomaceous earth), sand, or cartridge. Also get the test kit mentioned previously, but don't bother testing at this stage. Just keep using the bleach.

If the circulation starts to slow down, it means that the filter is doing its job, and the pressure gauge should be showing an increase in pressure from when you started. You may need help initially from a pool company so they can show you how to backwash your filter, unless your father knows how.

If and when you start to see the pool bottom, and there are any leaves or other debris, now is the time to use a rake with a mesh basket to get it out.

There may be a hose and vacuum device for vacuuming stuff from the bottom, but I would hold off using it until most of the leaves and debris have been removed.

Then start vacuuming to waste, hopefully explained by the pool company, to remove the stuff from the bottom.

Use the testkit to get an analysis of the pool water, and the water to be used for refilling, and post the numbers you get. Hopefully we can then give you better advice as to where to go from here.

This should be enough to get you started.

Pat