Welcome!
It's hard to say what your target FC level should be without knowing the CYA level, but .5 is too low even for zero CYA, so aim for 5ish, and use liquid bleach. All those powders they've been selling you have doubtless raised CYA and/or CH, so stop using them.
With the high CH, you need to keep the pH towards the low end. Target 7.5 for now. Wait half an hour between the bleach and the acid additions.
http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html will help you figure out the CSI as well as the necessary dosages.
When you get your view tube, check the CYA level. Odds are pretty good that it will be astronomical.
Sadly, the only economical way to deal with high CYA is by draining and refilling. I know how painful that is to think about, especially in a drought year. I took over a pool with huge CYA and wasn't able to drain the first year due to water restrictions. It can be done, but I don't recommend it. So if you have to drain some and you can still do it legally, do it. It might be worth a look at the water company website. Some allow a drain every three years without putting your water bill into the higher tier rates if you notify them in advance.
A final few words about Calcium Hardness. One: those guidelines just aren't really practical in California where we have hard water and a lot of evaporation. So you will need to pay attention to CSI, especially as it gets late in the swim season. Two: use the 10 ml sample to save time and R-0012 reagent.
Instructions With your 540 CH number, it really doesn't make a lot of difference if the test says 525 or 550. If you didn't order a speedstir, too bad. You should have. It's really useful for the CH test, and no one who owns one regrets buying it. When you need refills, order one.
