I just read this the first time and I have nothing to add except how it's so baffling to me how the mass majority of supposed pool experts don't know that chlorine is chlorine is chlorine. Stop adding chlorine... but add chlorine?!?!? (no bleach, but use trichlor) Additionally baffling that anyone in the business of dealing with pool maintenance doesn't understand the CYA=>chlorine relationship enough to realize there's a stopping point with CYA and trichlor beyond that point means FC of 2-3ppm will never be enough. Sigh...

Trichlor will lower your pH with a quickness as well. Too much changing of stuff that doesn't need to be changed attempting to chlorinate. When you desire to chlorinate, use chlorine!

edit: oops, forgot no html tags here.

I just added 3 more gallons to try to get back up to speed. It's hard to do all this when everyone around you is trying to make you feel like an idiot and that you don't know what you're doing...don't know if anyone else has had that problem? Anyways, Just wondering what's happening with the water if it isn't up to shock level...let's say my shock level is 23, but I let it slide into the 15 range for awhile....does that mean whatever is in my pool is now starting to take over again? Or does it mean that I'm just kinda stuck in neutral? Or does it mean I'm still making progress but just at a slower rate? Thanks.

You are on the right track but please stop listening to the PB or pool stores. They will confuse the dickens out of you. Stick with this plan. BBB WORKS! It's as simple as that. Don't worry about not knowing what to do. We were all like that at one point or another. We learn by trial and error and by the advice given on here. No one on here should/would ever make you feel like an idiot, if they do, report them. If it's from the PB or pool store, well that's why you've come here.
As for FC sliding down... I like to think of it like this... If I were taking antibiotics the time between doses is like the time between chlorine additions. It's still a bit there but you need another addition to kick it back up. Just do your best to hold FC at shock level. It will get easier and it will become very sparkly. Just wait... POP is what we call it - Pool Owner Patience. I'm holding on to my POP now. My pool has been cloudy blue for a few days. I'm shocking and waiting for the morning I wake up and see sparkles!!

Can water be perfectly crystal clear, yet still have a bunch of problems with it? My water has looked sparkly clean for 3-4 days now but I can't pass the OCLT. If my PH and TA are on the high side...7.6-7.7 and 215....and my CYA being in the 80-90 range...could that be slowing my process? It seems like a lot of posts I read are where people have cloudy, murky and or greenish water.....my water looks beautiful. This is getting frustrating.

We'd love to see a pic??
It's possible that there is algae present and you cannot see it. Look for any nooks and crannies that might have small bits of algae in them. Lights, steps, etc.. How does your waterfall work - does it pour over something or come out of something? There might be some algae in there. Just a thought!

You may be on to something....my waterfall does cascade done 4 or five limestone slabs...which I haven't looked at very closely....I'm going to shut it off and see if my numbers improve...thanks for the advice.

Bear in mind that lights, niches, nooks and crannies often need application of specialized brushing tools to get the algae within the cracks out and exposed to the chlorine. You can find them in the bathroom, they stink of toothpaste :~}

I'd get a deck brush or something similar and brush the rocks and waterfall area with a strong solution of bleach as well. We'd love to see some pics too if you're so inclined. We like pool pics here.

Latest numbers:
11:00 pm Fri. FC 17
6:30 am Sat. FC 16
4:30pm Sat FC 10.5
That was having the waterfall turned off. Now I'm not sure if my numbers got better because of that or if it would have happened anyway....my FC loss at night was trending lower...it went from 17,11,7,5, down to 1. I'm thinking of turning the falls back on tonight to see if I still pass my OCLT. Or would you advise cleaning rocks in the falls. I looked at them pretty closely and there is nothing I can see or feel that seems out of the ordinary. I would hate to spend hours cleaning if I don't have to. Any thoughts?