help please!!!

[xc]

we purchased a house with a pool about 1 year ago and we knew nothing about pools and maintenance, the prev. owner had a pool guy and gave me the pool guys' card, well after trying and trying to get him to come and clean the pool I gave up, so I figured out how to clean it myself... for the most part. Now it seems that the sand in the filter needs to be raplaced and I have NO IDEA where to even begin, I looked up as much info as I could (I have called several other pool guys' but no one ever shows up) so I gave that up too. Anyways someone please help me on how to change the sand, or let me know where to go and get the info because I have spent a lot of time online and reading the manual online, but I cannot find enough info to feel confident enough to do it myself. The filter is not filtering properly, it's a tagelus TA-60D and the last time the sand was replaced was in 2002, and we have spent a lot of money on chemicals!!! PLEASE HELP!!!!!

[Viv]

Take a sample of the water to your local pool store for free testing. Otherwise you may just be un-doing what you have just done with chemicals! (They test for free in the hope you will buy what they advise, but you are in no way obligated to buy anything.) They can probably advise you on how to care for the filter, too. We have a cartridge filter (you just hose it off...) so I don't even remember how to care for the others at this point. You will get it. It is a learning process but well worth it. Hang in there and ask questions!

We bought a pool buster to vacuum our pool this year and basically you charge it up and turn it on (no hoses, etc). It works like a hand vacuum for your house and is well worth the money (199.00 to 319.00 depending on whether you get regular of commercial grade). I hear both do a great job! Makes it fun to clean your pool. (No, I do not sell them!)