Here is where I take serious issue with Richard. I think worrying about borates and lithium chloride is totally the wrong strategy for you NOW:

Start simple, follow the simple and IF that doesn't work well for you, only THEN move on to alternatives.

1) Test your water. Test it yourself. Get a good FAS-DPD test kit. You can have TaylorTechnologies or Leslie's on-line overnight their kit (K-2006C or FAS-DPD Chlorine Service Test Kit) to you.

2) Review those numbers. Typical ideal maintenance #s are:
pH: 7.3-7.6
T/A: 80 - 125ppm
Calcium: 200 - 400ppm
CYA: 30 - 50ppm
FC: 3 - 5 ppm
CC: 0 - <.5ppm

Where are you deviating? Notice I didn't include borate levels...right now they aren't relevant. Clearing your pool is.

3) Start by adjusting your pH. Since you have an algae bloom, your chlorine will be more effective in the 7.0-7.5 range (no lower, no higher).

4) Now SHOCK your pool. Shock it hard and check that shock level 3x a day until it's clear. Use bleach or liquid chlorine to shock--don't use anything else for now.

5) Your shock level depends on your CYA level. See the "Best Guess Table" for that.

6) Vacuum and brush your pool everyday until it clears. Vacuum to waste to get the junk OUT.

7) Add a LARGE container of POPP everyday. That's Pool Owner Patience and Persistence. It may take a week or two to clear--yeah, that long. Longer if you don't follow these simple steps relentlessly.

This is still the first best way to clean up an algae ridden pool. Do NOT worry about Borates, Phosphates or algaecides or anything ELSE for now.

GET YOUR POOL CLEAR FIRST!

Remember: When your are up to your "waist" in alligators it is difficult to remember that the objective was to drain the swamp!

ONCE you get your pool clear and swimmable THEN can you worry about prevention that makes it harder to get in this situation.