Hey, Janet thanks for the look.

First the brown stuff above the waterline is dry and caked on and in some areas where it "used to" be moist looks as if your skin was falling off. Tried a vinyl cleaner last nite and green scuff pad, minor amounts came off some flaked off. I'll try the baking soda tonite or tomorrw.
The "brown stuff " it's not on the walls just all over the bottom scattered in small amounts from a half dollar to a dollar bill size. Last season I removed and checked all the fingers and PVC pipe and it looked fine. No visable cracks. Unless the pressure in the filter is so great that it expands and opens? Filter press. reads 14-15 lbs.
As far as it being sand, I don't understand how it could go from white filter sand in the filter to a brown color in the pool. I'll grab some and see if it feels gritty.
Yes waving your hand over the stuff it goes away in a cloud.
No construction or anything in the area, just some hugh evergreens in my neighbors back yard,and his pool is fine and clean.So pollen?
I have shocked this in the past and over shocked and vacummed to waste still same results within a few hours.
For the added chems, the place I go to has a water analyzer with the results. Yeh 2.5 lbs seemed like a lot but they have a pc. of paper on the wall that says they graduated from pool water chemistry school.
It looked impressive.
But yeh I'll check the levels tonite and repost.
Lastly, I'm on the outshirkts of Detroit so I guess City water,and it looked clear this morning a 6 am.
So I'll try what you have suggested and repost.
thanks again for the help everyone
enjoy the weekend mine begins at 3:30 today!!!!!