I strongly suggest you start reading our sister-site, PoolSolutions.com and start learning how the BBB system works. It's more of an idea of effective simple techniques rather than a dogmatic use of bleach, borax and baking soda. I use bleach, liquid chlorine, occasionally Tri-Chlor tablets and Di-chlor powder, but principally use my SWCG for chlorine. I'll use Borax or Washing Soda to raise my pH, almost NEVER use Baking Soda (because my Total Alkalinity is, for various reasons, rarely a problem).

The BBB system is based on 3 things you MUST control:
1) Sanitation. That's your chlorine and if you have algae, the chlorine is being spent killing that and not the dangerous and even deadly microbes that can get in your water.
2) pH: This is how acidic or basic your water is. Acid attacks your pool walls and you. Basic water inhibits chlorine's ability to kill bacteria and algae. So you must balance it.
3) Stabilizer (aka, CYA for Cyanuric Acid): This is like sunscreen for your chlorine. Without it, UV rays from the sun can break chlorine down in as little as 15-30 minutes. CYA protects the chlorine BUT it is a 2-edged sword. It slows chlorine's break down, BUT you therefore need more chlorine to balance that out. It's a relationship and we use our "Best Guess Table" to tell us the best chlorine level for a given CYA level.

http://poolsolutions.com/gd/best-gue...ine-chart.html

But none of it works without a good test kit and we recommend the Taylor K-2006 or K-2006C as the best home-owner kit. There are a couple of equivalents, but they cost the same or more. All are only available on-line.

Here's the link to the Taylor kits: http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php/14994

Without good testing and a knowledge of what those tests mean, you are flying through a fog, but with no instruments to guide you. You are guessing and your persistent algae means you are guessing wrong.

I'm sorry to be so blunt but I believe you are putting yourselves at a terrible risk with what you describe. Without good testing and effective chlorination, your pool won't be, IMHO, safe to swim in.

With what you describe, there is no easy answer or magic bullet to fix it, and anyone who tells you there is cannot be believed.

But the fix is not complicated or magic. Test, adjust pH, add stabilizer, chlorinate heavily to KILL the algae, vacuum, brush the walls, and be patient and persistent.

Best I can do. The rest is up to you.