Searchlight,
Can you post pictures of your equipment setup? It sounds like you do not have any timers at this point? What did the previous owners do - run the filter pump 24/7?
JasonLion has good advice on running the filter pump between 8 and 12 hours. I personally find I can run only an hour or so every couple of days during the winter to keep the water clean, and only 2-4 hours daily during the summer. In fact, I find that my solar heating actually is the driving force behind the number of hours the filter pump runs. (i.e. I run the filter pump longer to get the heat from the solar panels than I would just to keep the water clear). For me, I find that keeping the chlorine levels at an appropriate level (with regards to CYA levels) seems to be much more important than filter pump runtime or "circulation". But this may only be true for my pool, which sees almost no direct sun in the winter, and only 4 or 5 hours of direct sun in the summer.
Regarding timers, do you only have a filter pump, or do you also have a cleaner booster pump? Are you looking for "simple" timers, or are you looking to add some pool automation, maybe even some remote control? Do you have a pool only, or a pool with an attached spa?
Sorry for so many questions!
Titanium