Cleaning up a SERIOUSLY neglected inground pool
I bought a house just recently with a seriously neglected inground 20x40 vinyl-lined pool. It has tenants (last count were 7 turtles, 1 water moccasin, and tadpoles galore) and the water is dark green/black. The liner and pump appear to be in good shape.
I can only imagine how much mud and leaves are inhabiting the bottom. We are considering converting from chlorine to a salt-water/saline pool.
Please excuse my ignorance because I may not be asking the right questions, AKA any advice would be appreciated in the matter:
1. It's been suggested that I pump the water/mud out and start with fresh water, but others say that is ill-advised because it is a vinyl-lined pool and would collapse without the water to hold the walls up. Which is best? Pumping seems so much easier.
2. Once I have dredged/pumped the pool, should I do the salt-water/saline conversion at that time or wait until I have chlorinated it considering the bio-matter involved (dead animals, algae, etc.)?
3. I've had several people suggest aluminum sulfate as a cheaper alternative to get all of the algae killed and to the bottom for dredging/pumping instead of expensive flocculants and chlorine shock. Has anyone ever tried or heard about this?