Pool Installed Now What? How to Backfill

Hello Everyone,
I've been lurking here a few days and found lots of wonderful help and info. :) Now I want to ask, what to do next?

Pool was installed yesterday. We are filling slowly (not by choice really!). The installer excavated about 24" deep on the back side. How much do I back fill? level to bottom of pool? up to original ground level, but that seems wrong.

In the photo you can see the installer backfilled the bottom corner of the pool only. I suppose that will hold the sand in and under, for now. How much do I fill in now, if any?

Here is what I want, will it work?
I'm envisioning a gravel path next to and around the pool, say 2-3 feet wide. Can I do this, or does it need dirt to the level of the bottom of the pool? Then for a retaining wall I will lay the basic home improvement store retaining wall block, up to the level of the original ground surface. I am guessing 2 layers rising to 5 layers at the deepest.

I'd love to see what others did to fill in after their excavation/install on unlevel ground. I have looked for photos, but I haven't really found any on the 'net. All the pool sellers show are perfectly flat yards...


Here is my "problem".
http://webpages.charter.net/sgf/backfill.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/sgf/backfill.jpg



TIA,

EDIT: Never mind, you fixed it while I was posting. :D


Original Post:
The link doesn't work :(, but it does if you change the ftp:// to http://

http://webpages.charter.net/sgf/backfill.jpg

Sorry, I have no advice on building an AG, I just wanted to see the pic. :)

We had to go down 16" on the high side with our pool. We backfilled level with the ground around it and have since lanscaped around it. Dirt was mostly clay. Our dealer warrantied the work since their installer did the install. I don't know if it is right or wrong, but that's what they told us to do, so that's what we did.