OK, life (and a ton of rain) got in the way, but I have done the bucket test. It yielded zero sediment in the bottom of the bucket. Do I still buy the CuLator product(s) you recommended?

Also, I do have an algae problem. Not sure if I had the algae all along or just because of all of the rain. I tried to stay on top of the chlorine test, but apparently, failed. I know, you warned me. I shocked it last night, after brushing the visible algae off of the tile line(s). I turned the chlorine level up a bit as well. The water is still crystal clear.

While scrubbing the algae, my husband dove down to the bottom where the drain is. Is it normal 1) for the drain to only pull from maybe 1/3 of it's length? (it's not a round drain but a horizontal one) and 2) for the 2/3 that it's not pulling from to be very dark (maybe even greenish) in color?

As far as the spots that initially got me to this site, they are still there, they don't appear to be any bigger, smaller, darker or lighter.

I feel like I have so many questions, I hope I'm not too all-over-the-place. I've given up on my pool company; I called them yesterday to get 4 lbs of shock for my chlorine pool (I called 1st b/c they're sort of a drive for me). Low-and-behold, they didn't have any. What pool company doesn't have shock? Really?

TYA,
Amy