Today my pool water looks much better; I think I'm on the right track. I stopped adding chlorine. Put a trichlor tab in the skimmer and ran water through the hose there s-l-o-w-l-y.... Then I backwashed once or twice a day; man that backwashed water was UGLY - dark brownish red! Yuk! But it made me feel good to see it leaving.

No, I did not use any sequestering agent. I thought I'd read before that they really don't take the metal out of your water, just bind it up for a while. Then you have to keep adding the stuff regularly. I was afraid to go there. Could someone please "clarify" this for me. (Ha, ha!)