hopping technique

Got a newbie question.

Both batches I have brewed I have included all the hop sludge in my aeration (pouring back and forth) and added it to my primary. Both batches turned out a bit hazy. Should I whirlpool and euphony out of my kettle? I did use a whilfloc tablet in each case. Thinking about whirlpooling and using Irish moss for my next batch.

Another question: what is cold crashing? And how does it effect carbonation time?

Thanks!

cold crashing is when you put the batch in cold temperatures. Yeast will sink as well as anything it attaches itself to. Usally a nice yeast cake can be seen at the bottom of the carboy. This also is useful when racking onto a keg, or in the bottling process. It aids in the clarity of a batch. If your bottling then your beers will not be 100 percent clear, due to the sugar content added. Mine never are, but they are clear when I bottle, depending on the recipe. Some recopies are meant to be cloudy, no matter if you keg or not. What kind of beer are you trying to brew?

It has no effect on carbonation.

How long are you leaving your beers in primary? Is it just chill haze you're experiencing? I typically dump all the hop sludge in the fermenter when I brew, but my beers (usually) turn out clear without any fining agents. A good hot break, quick cooling, and 3 or so week primary is my usual course of action.

I have done 3 batches:

1) Pale Ale using US-05 - 2 Weeks Primary, 2 Weeks Bottled. Was gone before they could condition more. Still Pretty Hazy, but could see hand pretty well though the glass. BIG cake.
2) Blonde using Wyeast 3864 Canadian/Belgum Ale - 2 Weeks Primary, 3 Weeks Bottled thus far. Really Hazy Still but that may be the yeast.Cake was about 1/2 the size of 1.
3) 1 Gallon Cider using clear Apple Juice. Used Washed Yeast from 2. ended up tasting really well. Primary 2 Weeks then Bottled for a week. Still has a good Haze to it.

The reason I am asking is that I am planning a Stone Ruination Clone in 2 weeks and am not sure if with the Hops in the recipe it I need to leave them behind in my kettle or transfer them into the primary since I will be dryhopping while in the prmary anyways.

I still have about 30 bottles of my Blonde and am planning on archiving a six pack for at least 2 months and seeing how they clear out.

I'm still learning and trying to figure out my system.

Attached is a pick from the Pale Ale. It was an Extract Batch.

Thanks!