We have acquired an AGP, given to us by a family member. It's a 15'x48" tube frame, model A 15' x 48" F B02 R1, and I'd like a bit of advice on the feasibility on a couple of modifications. This pool had been set up in the original owner's yard, adjacent to our yard.

I would like to put a main drain in the center of the floor, and add a few intake and outlet ports in the side, along with an in-the-wall skimmer.

Everything I've read here and elsewhere, along with personal experience on this particular pool, points to the pump and cartridge filter system (1000GPH) that comes with the pool as being inadequate for keeping the pool maintained. So that is the main reason I would want to make these changes. I'm looking at upgrading the filter system to a better flow/filter setup, and don't think the original ports would be up to the task by themselves.

Another thing I'd appreciate some input on is this:

Is it possible to sink the liner into the ground 1 or 2 feet? My thinking on this would be to better support the base of the pool, making it more stable, and less likely to move around from people's activity while in the pool.

Having dealt with (as labor only) the installation of only one vinyl lined in ground pool before, I don't know if these modifications would be feasible, let alone advisable.

It has taken the better part of a week to get the chemistry halfway close, according to the cheap 2 tube test kit that came with it, so would probably need advice in that area, too. I do know that I need to purchase a much better kit, that I can test for more than just basic pH and chlorine levels. I have no idea what to look for in a test kit, I just know that what I have isn't going to work to help keep the chemistry balanced. From online research, I have found that the basic Cl test doesn't tell me much of anything, like how much of the Cl in the pool is FC, and how much is CC. The reagent bottles are only marked with OTO, and Phenol Red, and packaged by JED Pool tools, Inc. Not in my guesstimation a good enough kit to balance a pool and keep it that way. According to this kit's results, my Cl is staying fairly even between .5 and 1, and I'm afraid to dose the pool with too much to bring it higher without more info. The pH appears to have stabilized between 7.2 and 7.5, down from the initial reading being too high to tell. The highest color shade section on this kit is 8.2, and the first tests when we filled the pool appeared to be way higher than that. So if anyone has any recommendations in that area as well, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any and all input from the guru's here!

Charlie