Jan's right: Focus on the first needs first, which is your chlorine and testing.

To give you some background, NO algaecide is any good when you have algae--chlorine is still the best algaecide. There is one good one BEFORE you have algae, Polyquat 60%--but that's not usually in starter kits.

Those kits use the cheap ammonia stuff. It's a lousy algaecide and it neutralizes chlorine and vice versa--remember they always tell you NEVER mix bleach and ammonia for cleaning? There's two reasons (the other is the mix gives off a toxic gas.) It just makes things worse.

The other algaecides are copper-based and they can kill algae (but they are better for prevention) but copper is NOT a good additive as it discolors stuff and turns blond hair green.

Bleach is easy and cheap, especially in the small amounts a pool like yours needs. Plus it has no side effects and all the dry forms have those side effects.

But follow Jan's instructions and she'll get you swimming!