Sand filter, in ground pool 36 x 18 feet. 4ft ish at shallow end 6.5 ft is at the deep. Estimated at 25k gallons.
Pool has been perfect since we opened it (first year having it), but we got a solar cover. It has been hot and rainy here and we didn't go out to look at it all week (mistake one), we usually put chlorine tablets in on a Sunday but my husband forgot last week. Thursday we went down to a green pool - as if we had opened it from winter. So we shocked it, several times in fact. It got to the point that it was cloudy. We tested and tested, shocked again. All levels were fine but still we had a cloudy pool.
So I called the pool store....mistake 2. Took the advice of the pool store guy and flocced it (non alum flocc). Pump off, let it settle for 24 hrs to sink, but it didn't sink. It just stayed on top. Spent the next 24-36hrs hosing the top down every few hours for it to sink and vacuumed to waste what sank. Think I spent $650 in water today vacuuming to waste and refilling and now I am freaking out (if I had the hose on for 4 hrs at 11.3c a gallon that is what I am thinking but I am calling the water company tomorrow to check as I feel sick. Rates based upon my last water bill and includes sewage which they calc at the same as I use). Pool is still cloudy (although no where near as bad, I can now see the bottom just at the deep end) and still has floating flocc just below the surface with some groups still landing on the ground.
So do I keep vacuuming and adding water or just turn my pump on and let it wreck my pump/filter?
Pool has been perfect since we opened it (first year having it), but we got a solar cover. It has been hot and rainy here and we didn't go out to look at it all week (mistake one), we usually put chlorine tablets in on a Sunday but my husband forgot last week. Thursday we went down to a green pool - as if we had opened it from winter. So we shocked it, several times in fact. It got to the point that it was cloudy. We tested and tested, shocked again. All levels were fine but still we had a cloudy pool.
So I called the pool store....mistake 2. Took the advice of the pool store guy and flocced it (non alum flocc). Pump off, let it settle for 24 hrs to sink, but it didn't sink. It just stayed on top. Spent the next 24-36hrs hosing the top down every few hours for it to sink and vacuumed to waste what sank. Think I spent $650 in water today vacuuming to waste and refilling and now I am freaking out (if I had the hose on for 4 hrs at 11.3c a gallon that is what I am thinking but I am calling the water company tomorrow to check as I feel sick. Rates based upon my last water bill and includes sewage which they calc at the same as I use). Pool is still cloudy (although no where near as bad, I can now see the bottom just at the deep end) and still has floating flocc just below the surface with some groups still landing on the ground.
So do I keep vacuuming and adding water or just turn my pump on and let it wreck my pump/filter?
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Sounds like you've learned your lesson. 
Maybe others will have another idea, but I currently see two options. One - continue with what you are doing, being very slow and methodical about letting the floc settle and vacuum quietly what you can to WASTE - then repeat. Ugh. Or two, you just filter it and replace the sand once you believe you've captured all of it. Either option would seem to stink right about now since you've gone through some water ($$$) and sand replacement is a bit or work and some $$ as well. But let's give this thread some time for more replies. In the meantime, continue with your vacuum to WASTE attempts and maybe you'll get past the majority of it soon.
