Update:
I have been perusing this site and first & foremost I apologize for submitting MANY questions in a pump-related post. Per your site etiquette, I am continuing to address the pump issue (which has now been mostly resolved with my pool company coming out and "unclogging" the impeller, and replacing the pump basket).
I have 'schooled' myself in the Pool School (read it thoroughly) and as of today I have been regularly shocking to rid the pool of its algae issue. While I do not have the pool testing kit you endorse on this site (I am BROKE but am ordering it next week)
; I have been using the WalMart testing kit until I can purchase the better one. I am happy to say my water is getting crystal clear very quickly and I've followed the "Rid Yourself of the Green Swamp" instructions to the hilt, using bleach and borax. I am still shocking twice a day until I see the sparkling oasis.
I still have a large amount of dead algae/dirt on the bottom half of my slope and the bottom of the deep end (my pool is 3' and 6' respectively). I realize I need to vaccuum this to waste; but I have had a love/hate relationship with the vaccuum (which I now realize was due to inadequate pressure from my pump due to the impeller being clogged/etc). I have the backwashing/rinse cycle down pat now, and am learning more each day.
(I apologize for posting a lot of background here, but am encouraged by posts I've read where it seems the more info, the better). I bought this house two years ago, and the pool was neglected. The original owner (the one who installed the pool) has an unlisted number. The 'pool company' is the original installer of this pool (I think it's about ten years old), but they are impossible to reach for "questions" as of yet. I am flying blind on a lot of things I'm trying to find out regarding the pool.
Again, I apologize in advance for my ignorance.
My question has now evolved to the following: When vaccuuming to waste (to rid the pool of the debris {nothing large} on the bottom (sides have all been brushed down daily as per instructions); it is my understanding that I need to isolate suction to the skimmer. (Skimmer has two drains: one for suction, and the other I understand to be the main drain? which has a cap on top of it). Also I understand that at this point I need to close the valve for the main drain. My red "valves" are not labeled, and save taking a picture the only way I can describe their configuration is this: two of these red valves come directly from the pipes originating from the filter, and these pipes go into the ground . The other valve is on a 90-degree branch (closest to the filter) pipe which goes to the wall and outward to the heater (which is outside the pool house and currently NOT in use). I am extremely reluctant to mess with any of these valves because I do not know which way to turn them and what they are for. I want to do the vaccuuming procedure properly so I can use this danged pool, as it is already June 9......but I don't want to risk getting all this gunk back in the pool and starting from square one again.
The pool company JUST GOT the pump in MUCH BETTER shape on Monday (while I was at work and unable to ask them questions), and the flow is EXCELLENT. Pressure readings with the filter running are at about 10psi consistently.
I live in Charleston, WV...and unfortunately, the pool company I use dominates the valley, and is almost CONSISTENTLY hard to reach. Until I can reach them, is there anything I can do to see which valve is which, and anything else I need to know regarding the vaccuuming to waste procedure (I'm familiar with the basics i.e., water level being high, etc)? I realize I may not get an answer to this question based on what limited knowledge I can provide. I wish that someone familiar with the pool could come out and give me a "pool school" but apparently that only happens in larger areas, the woman at the pool store actually scoffed at me when I asked her that question.
Any advice would be appreciated, as I'd really like to get this danged pool up and running sometime before December.