Ph between 7.2 and 7.8 is good. It's usually recommended to wait a few days or a week before testing CYA. Also there's a "proper way" to do it. Standing up, back to the sun, vial at about waist height, it's a bit subjective. I believe there's a you tube video showing the "proper way", it may be linked in pool school, I'm not sure.
On of the reasons it's preferred to add chlorine in the evening is once it gets dark you don't have the sun depleting it. So you should see little chlorine loss over night. That's gives it quite a bit of time "at full strength" to work on whatever's in the pool, before the sun comes up and people get in and start using it up. However that doesn't mean you can't do a top up or boost anytime, just that evening is preferred for regular dosing.
I assume you started with a new pool, rather than the one that turned into a swamp last year? Assuming that, and you keep chlorine up, you shouldn't have any problems. FYI some signs to watch for that would indicate the beginning of an algae problem and the need to take action early; slimy feeling sides and bottom, cloudy water, unusual and consistent excessive chlorine demand. I follow the same advice I've given you and I've had no problems, the sides and bottom of my pool pretty much squeak when you rub them and the water sparkles.
