I'm not much of a morning person so I didn't get a chance to check it till the sun had been up for two hours or so. I know it's not a good indication since I messed up the steps, but it was down to 16 when I finally got around to checking. Topped off the chlorine, brushed the pool, and added more acid. I'll hold it at shock levels through the day then let it come down for the party. I'll shock it properly next week. It's really not bad. My guests would never even notice it, just bugs me because it's always been so crystal clear and sparkly till I screwed up. On a side note, I really enjoy looking at the grocery store checker's face when I put 8 giant containers of bleach and 4 boxes of borax on the conveyor!!! When they ask the inevitable question, it's always a mental debate; do I go with the meth lab story or the crime scene story? This time since I was also buying a ton of beer for the party, I opted for the meth lab.