I have no idea what I'm doing

[Mynamesalyss]

My boyfriend has a 12 foot round, 4 feet deep above ground pool. This is the first year he's taking care of it himself and he is clueless. As am I. He has a filter in the skimmer compartment. It looks like an accordion. He have a pump which is connected to the skimmer compartment. It's been this way for years when his mom had the pool. Do we need an additional filter system? I can't seem to find a YouTube video showing how to vacuum this type of system. I just see sand filters and back washing. And I'm just so confused. It just will not get clean. When I go to vacuum it it's like whatever I'm vacuuming is just coming back into the pool through the return.

[paulbest]

Is the pump connected to the skimmer compartment still working well? Instead of a vacuum system that is attached to the pipe line, there are automatic pool vacuum cleaners in the market you can use. They are much more efficient. If not, you can call your local pool cleaning service if this issue still makes you confused on what to do.

[Denniswiseman]

I have no knowledge of your type of pool and filtration but I suspect that your filter is damaged.
Replacements must be available. Look for any identification of the pool and filter or take it out and visit a pool store for a replacement