help. cant clear up my pool

[PoolDoc]

+ How to verify that your sand filter is working.

+ Verify that your filter is working . . . and then do NOT backwash until it's 'full'. If your pressure gauge is working, then you should backwash when there is a 5 - 10 psi INCREASE in pressure from clean to dirty.

+ If there are piles of 'stuff' on the bottom, and you can vacuum that to waste, do so.

+ Foamy water often means . . . you have added pool store goop, which can actually SLOW the process. Clarifier + some stain control agents can be an especially bad combo. Likewise OVERDOSING with clarifiers or 'floc' agents, or COMBINING them can create a chemical mess that is very slow to clear up. Have you added chemicals besides the basics?

[wendybsimmons70]

thanks. the only goop i added was a bag of walmart shock before my
husband brought home the 1st 10 gallons of bleach. other than that I used muriatic acid from home depot to bring down the ph at the very beginning...i added the acid 1st after i tested when we took the cover off. i used the trichlor-s-triaz(sp) bag of pool essentials of shock bcuz it was left over & i wanted to get started on clean up.
thats all.
im prepared to filter to waste, vacuum, filter...test for days. i will keep reading also. our sand filter generally sits at 8psi. when it raises to about 12 that's when i generally backwash. i have so much to learn.
im out finishing up my mother’s day lunch. im going to test & start vacuuming the bottom
again to waste.
thanks!