You can use Trichlor tabs for chlorine and Borax and baking soda as needed. (Borax raises pH, baking soda raises alk.) But, just be aware that those tabs have CYA (stabilizer) in them and over time can cause your CYA level to get out of hand. Many people with high CYA have algae problems because they don't understand the relationship between CYA and chlorine levels -- the higher your CYA, the higher your chlorine must be. More info about this here: http://pool9.net/cl-cya/

If you keep your chlorine levels in range (based on the Best Guess Chlorine chart linked above) you actually never need to shock your pool. What is the liquid chlorine that your pool store sells? 10 or 12% sodium hypochlorite? If that is the case, that is the same stuff as household bleach but just at a higher concentration. (Most places now sell bleach that is 8.25% sodium hypochlorite.)

Hope this helps. Let us know if you have further questions and someone here will try and help.

Welcome to the Pool Forum!

Edit -- By the way, what kind of test kit do you have?