Chlorine Demand - Par Pool & Spa has a good handle on how to treat this growing issue.  If you haven't dealt with it yet, you will.

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Question:
Can a non-chlorine shock help to oxidize the contaminants rather than adding the high volume of chlorine shock necessary to reach the break point in a pool with a chlorine demand issue?

Response:
A non chlorine shock or oxidizer like BioGuard Oxysheen will break up some to most of the chloramines that are adding to the chlorine demand, but will normally not get you to breakpoint.  In REALLY high chloramine situations, we normally use Oxysheen to bring those chloramines down first (usually at a rate of 2 lbs per 10,000 gallons which is a little overkill).  When using ANY kind of shock treatment, be sure to remove the solar blanket or automatic cover so that all of the oxidized junk can "gas off" into the air.  After a couple of days, we'll do a second Chlorine Demand test & reevaluate the Chlorine Demand.

I know that's a "sort of" answer, unfortunately, there are too many variables when it comes to chlorine demand & chloramines are just a part of that equation.
 

Question:
Looking for info & think I found the right place-use the same brand of chemicals as advertised on your site-Having a rough start with the pool this year & finding the store personnel not as knowledgeable as I would hope-Our pool had 2 dead squirrels plus tons of algae-ugh...have it pretty clean by now by alternating clean filter cartridges, along with algaecide & Smart Shock- Finally brought the water in to be tested-showing zero level of chlorine-computer testing called for 17 bags of Burn Out-

Of course that sounded ridiculous (little did I know) and since the print outs in the past usually recommend overkill on some of the products- I bought a case of 12 bags- I was concerned about what it would do to the pool liner -Store employees did not explain well enough, said I could try 6 bags one day, then 6 the next.... Any way-I now realize that I will need more shock at one time to break the combined chlorine-but am still quite apprehensive about that many bags dissolving without damage to the liner-Even after stirring the foam from the 6 bags & brushing some did not appear dissolved- Can you recommend an equivalent amount of liquid chlorine for a pool with approx. 13,000 + gallons of water-realize I will then probably have to add Lo & Slo to adjust the pH...Or should I just go for it & try the 17 bags at once?

Response:
I would fear that the 17 bags will be insufficient.  Get another sample to them & make them do a chlorine demand test.  If they don't have the new AccuDemand 30 station, tell them to invest the $500.00 + in it!

Alex & the normal BioGuard test station will only take into consideration breakpoint chlorination and not chlorine demand.  Our own in-store tests show a BIG difference between the 2 tests -- normally calling for 2 to 3 times (so in your case 30 to 50 lbs. Burn Out) the amount to satisfy the demand!!  I'm not kidding!  The good news is it works!  Our customers report back dramatic changes, relatively quickly.

As to liquid chlorine, that will be your biggest waste of money that you could do.  Liquid has only about 12% available chlorine (when it's initially packaged) as compared to about 60% with Burn Out.

That's the good, bad & ugly.  But, it's the way things go.  Understanding chlorine demand is of growing importance. 

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Chlorine Demands can also be attributed to Bio-film problems. Here's some information.