Hayward SP1091LX Dyna-Skim Above-Ground Pool Skimmer, Surface Skimmer for Pools

This skimmer was very easy to install, even if you’re not super experienced with pool equipment. Everything fit together well, and the instructions were straightforward. Once installed, it does a great job keeping the surface of the pool clean. It consistently pulls in leaves, bugs, and debris, making a noticeable difference in water quality and reducing how often I have to manually skim. Overall, it’s a simple, effective upgrade that works exactly as it should.

The Hayward SP1091LX Dyna-Skim is a total game-changer for keeping my above-ground pool clean! This skimmer is incredibly efficient, and the design is both sturdy and easy to use. It effortlessly removes debris like leaves, bugs, and dirt from the surface of the water, keeping the pool looking crystal clear. What I love most about this skimmer is the automatic operation. Once it's installed, it does all the work—no need to constantly fish out leaves or debris by hand. The Dyna-Skim’s surface skimming is so effective that I can actually see a difference in water clarity after just one use. The build quality is excellent—it's made of durable materials that stand up to the wear and tear of constant use in the pool. The installation process was quick and easy, and it fits perfectly with my existing pool setup. The large debris basket is also a great feature, as it holds plenty of material before needing to be emptied, making maintenance hassle-free. For anyone with an above-ground pool, the Hayward Dyna-Skim is a must-have. It’s a time-saver, and it keeps the pool in pristine condition with minimal effort. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an easy-to-use, high-quality pool skimmer. It’s worth every penny!

I wanted to write this and add some more information onto some of the other reviews hoping to help others who may be considering this product. First of all, this is a Hayward product. They don't have an impeccable reputation for no reason. The skimmer is solidly built, the door has a clever retaining design making it easy to install/remove from either the inside or the outside of the skimmer, and it comes with the return nozzle and all the fittings you will need for 1 1/2" flexible lines. (Well... except for the hose clamps) The basket is plastic, as they always are, but this one seems substantial and I expect it will take a considerable amount of "empty the basket beatings" before I have to worry about looking for a replacement. As for the specifics of my install... I installed this on a 12' metal-frame Intex pool. (See my customer shot above) Other reviews mentioned this working on similar pools so I tool the chance figuring it would be close. I'm really glad I did. The Hayward was about 3/4" of an inch taller than the crappy Intex skimmer that the pool came with. I simply took the gasket and traced the inside on the pool liner after removing the Intex skimmer. A utility blade made a nice, clean cut taking about 1/2" off the top and the bottom of the opening. I used a drill bit to create holes for the mounting screws as they (of course) didn't line up with what was there. The Hayward skimmer comes with a single, silicon u-channel gasket that fits inside the opening and completely seals it against the skimmer and the face plate. I really like this design because there is no way water is going to leak like you could get when a two-piece foam gasket starts to break down. Assembly was straight forward and except for ruining a socket wrench because I used it underwater on the lower screws, everything went together very easily and was very solid when assembled. The original Intex skimmer had a stand-off on the lower part that kept the skimmer from torquing under it's own weight. The Hayward doesn't have this but it may be something to consider adding. With the pool full, the liner is pushed out and keeps the skimmer upright so I don't think the kick-stand is required in this case but if you drain the pool for the winter, the skimmer may dip and strain the mounts without something to support it. Would this cause problems? Probably not but I don't see a reason to strain the liner if I don't have to. In my case, I used the hose as a means to support it but a block of wood or a piece of PVC would probably do the trick as well. The return nozzle is standard Hayward design. There is a retainer ring with rubber gaskets that sandwiches the liner. Again, on the Intex pool I had to open the hole just a hair (maybe an 1/8" on the bottom) to get the nozzle to comfortably fit. There is a retaining ring on the pool side and an adjustable nozzle that allows you to direct the stream based on your pool configuration. The included hose adapter would position the hose in-line with the nozzle which, in my case, would make it stick out from the side of the pool. I simple got a 1 1/2" threaded PVC adapter and a right-angle to orient the hose vertically. Since everything is standard 1 1/2" it worked great. The last thing I wanted to mention is the vacuum plate. At first glance I was disappointed because the nozzle on it looks to be 1 1/4" and I have a 1 1/2" vac hose. However, on further inspection it is actually a stepped design with accepts both size hoses! Ingenious! I'm happy to say that it works perfect with my 1 1/2" vac hose (with rotating end) giving a nice, snug fit. With a sufficient pump behind the setup, it works amazing. Overall, this is a great product. I'm extremely happy I bought this and I'm super pleased that it works so well with my Intex pool. This was one part of my "sand filter upgrade" that I made to the Intex pool this year and I'm so happy about all of it that I could dance.

Like most reviewer's, I bought this as aftermarket for a "cheapo" framed pool that didn't come with a skimmer basket from factory. Last summer I used a skimmer that clips on over the side of the pool but it was clumsy and when the pump went off things would float back out into the pool. My biggest struggle before ordering was understanding how it would attach to my pump system. No one had provided pictures or sizes, so that's something I've added. Installation was easy! Just be super careful about which direction the in-the-pool side bracket attaches to the basket part- the top and bottom take 3 screws and the sides take 2. Despite paying attention to that detail, I almost messed it up when marking holes. Eek!! I put my pump on an already filled pool. The rubber gasket they send is intended for you to cut a hole first and the gasket slides over (it's 2 sided and attached to itself around the inside of the ring) so I just cut it apart to give myself.2 independent gasket rings. I held the inside bracket to the liner, marker the spots for screws by poking hard enough with a pencil to make a pokey divet in the liner. The screws it comes with are flat tipped, so I got a pointed tip screw from the junk drawer and used it to make a pilot hole before backing it out and using the supplied screw. I was quick on that part each time because I was worried about the water pressure on the hole. I did the whole thing myself, standing outside the pool and using my body to push the basket against the pool while I screwed the pieces together with a handheld screw driver. Once fully attached, I connected my pump hose onto the bottom and then cut the liner out where the hole should be. No hiccups! Now, I thought I had a larger tube that connects from the pool to the pump, so I was sure I could screw it to the "big" hole on the bottom of the basket. My pool is a 16ft round, 4+ft deep. My tube was NOT that big, lol. As shown in picture, that nipple is 2.75" wide. There's an adapter that screws on internally and reduces the tube opening to 1.5". I panicked a second at first because my tube seemed *just* too small to fit over, but I removed the adapter from the basket and used the ground to help me push the tube over and it went! Snug fit, no leaks, no need for a clamp. Then just screwed the adapter back into the bottom. Turned the pump on and it worked beautifully! Tried out the vacuum attachment. The nipple on that is 1.25" and the set up was wonderful. So glad I decided to go this route! (P.S. I just used the caps provide with the pool when I bought it to plug up the original intake holes as they're of no use to me now. Haven't had any leaks or issues.)

Seems to be working fine and good quality material except the hardware. The screws are rusty after a month!

Great product! I purchased this with the Intex sand filter. I will paste my review from that on here too as it tells my review of both products. Great product! I installed this on my 16' x 48" Intex Ultra Frame pool with no problems. All the fittings where there for this hook-up. It was easy to install and setup for the first time. I just picked up some pool sand from the local pool store, poured it in, hooked up the hoses and flushed it first before filtering the water and left it. I have had the soft side pool for 3 years before buying this Ultra Frame this year and have always dealt with under-sized under-performing pumps that came with the pool. Because of the under-performing pumps I have always dealt with cloudy water, poor circulation, poor pressure, junky paper filters, high maintenance and all the things that come with poor pump flow. After installing this pump though those things are a thing of the past! No more cloudy water, junky filters, poor circulation or poor pressure and less time-consuming maintenance. I would definitely recommend adding the Hayward SP109LC Dyna-Skim above ground pool skimmer (also purchasable from Amazon). There are videos on YouTube that show exactly how to install this on your soft side. The over-the-side skimmer that comes with these pools suck and do not catch any floating debris. This is through the wall skimmer just like hard side pools and works perfectly for my application. Although, there was a little PVC work to get the connection from the skimmer to the new filter discussed above, I am totally in love with my pool again! This also makes vacuuming the pool a breeze too. I purchased a 1 ½” hose from local pool store, a weighted vacuum head and a pole. I can now vacuum the pool in about 10 minutes instead of the normal 30-45 minutes it took before. Crystal clear water, very little maintenance, no debris floating on the surface and easy vacuuming, life is good!

This is an excellent product and highly recommended to replace the over-the-railing basket skimmer that comes with above ground pools. The only issue is the minimal instructions. Must read between the lines and use common sense. The gasket is made like a butterfly gasket that must be intact if you have a double hull pool, or like a vinyl liner with metal or plastic outside support. My Intex pool is just the vinyl liner, so I split the gasket carefully and installed it without draining any water. The water line was half way up the skimmer, but not a drop was spilled installing this. Just wait until all screws are tight to cut the vinyl liner - common sense, make sure the hose is connected first!! Be sure to install the flapper gate BEFORE putting any screws on or starting install. Just a little tricky to hold it in place. 2 people works best, but I installed everything myself with no issues. Must REALLY hold the outside unit TIGHT against the gasket when putting in each of the screws as they cut their own threads. Screw them down tight - the tough plastic will take it. I put in the 4 corner screws in first, starting with top 2 above the water line, and left all just slightly loose until all screws were started. It says to make holes for screws with blunt object - but that won't work as vinyl liner is tough. I used a small drill bit, much smaller than screw, but used pliers instead of getting my drill wet. Just held bit in the pliers and pushed and twisted. The first couple is when 2 people really helps, but even alone I did it easily. Then tightened them all down. The adapter to attach a vacuum hose comes with and works great. I didn't think it would seal well as it is just plastic to plastic, not rubber gasket, but works fine - the suction holds it firmly in place. A little tricky - put adapter on first without the hose, moving it around the flapper, then connect the hose. Make sure vacuum is in the water so it doesn't suck air. The parts of this unit are very heavy plastic. Nothing flimsy. Flow-through rate increased, as I can tell by the higher pressure and flow coming out the exit valve. A new one comes with this, but I didn't install, just used the old one. I will get a ball valve shut-off at Lowe's or Home Depot to install where hose connects. Good for doing any hose work or working on pump or filter. This is really a bargain.

I had one of those skimmers that hung on the rail of my intex pool. It wasn't doing the best job, kept floating away from the wall and would release the debris back into the pool when my pump was off. Not only that, but it reduced the power of my pump. Once my warranty expired on my pool I ordered this bad boy. Installation is tedious, but not hard. I'm a single woman and I had no problems installing this. Installation tips I have to offer: The holes on the skimmer are not pre threaded. Take the time before you install it to screw in the screws in each hole to form the threads. This will make your Install much easier. Trust me. For the love of all that's holy: DO NOT CUT THAT GASKET. I don't care what the dude on YouTube says. Don't do it. The gasket is designed with a purpose. Drain the water from your pool under its an inch below the height of the bottom of where the skimmer will be installed. You want water in the pool to keep the liner stretched. I used an awl (like 3 bucks at walmart to Pierce the holes for the screws. I then installed the entire skimmer minus the gasket. Once that was in place, I used a utility knife to cut the opening. Then I removed the skimmer, and inserted the Un cut gasket into the opening. The gasket is designed specifically to prevent the possibility of leaks and cutting it opens that possibility up and defeats the purpose. Once the gasket was in place, I installed the skimmer again, installed the hoses using a hose converter for my 1.25 inch hoses and filled the pool until it was half way up the skimmer. I plugged both of the old outlet ports and turned on my pump. Not one single leak. Not one. This skimmer has made keeping my pool clean a breeze. There's two trees above my pool so that's not to be taken lightly. I went from hand skimming for 30 min a day and vacuuming daily to vacuuming every couple days with NO hand skimming! Best investment you can make for your pool. I went for the square opening because my pool is only 12x30 but if it were larger I would get the wide mouth opening. If you're using this with a soft sided pool, I'd recommend finding something that will prop the skimmer at a 90 degree angle because the soft wall will let it tip at a weird angle which does affect performance. For my pool, a small plastic patio table right under it did the trick. Hayward has a reputation in the pool industry for a reason. The quality and fit just can't be beat.