I have used the filter socks from J&L for some time now. Always rinse them in RODI water before use though. When dirty I hose them off, again rinse in RODI water before use. New ones or cleaned ones, they always affect my skimmer, Bullet 1, the same way. To deal with this, I put a filter sock/bag on the out flow line of the skimmer. Works great to control the micro bubbles that come from the skimmer until it settles down.

Ed

as for cleaning the socks once clogged, what do most people do?
i've been rinsing mine under the sink till the water runs clear. takes some rinsing and twisting to get the water clear, but the socks don't come out white.

I take it outside & hose it down well. Twist the nozzle to the hardest spray & shoot out all that accumulated cr@p.

I throw mine in the washer with a little bleach, on whites with an extra rinse.

I don't like the idea of using bleach. No matter how much I'd rinse afterwards, I'd still be paranoid that there'd be some bleach residue. I first blasted mine with the garden hose, got most of the crap out doing that... then I threw it into the washing machine, extra hot water, no detergent. Worked great, it came out super clean.

I was more worried by residual soap in the washer but it hasn't been a problem.

I was my in the wahsing machine on the setting heavy white, with warm water and a warm rinse. No detergent and no bleach, they get clean enough. IMO, you likely spend way to much time and money trying to keep contaminents out of your tank, no need to provide an opportunity for them to enter the tank.

I do the same except I use ultra hot water, our machine heats it up.

For me, pick out the star fish, give a good rise with a hose in the sink and in the machine with a little bleach, hang to dry. No odour after a few hours but don't end up installing a clean one for a few days anyway.

Might try the hot water only but the idea of just basically rinsing a bag full of fish sh*t in hot water them leaving on the shelf, I'm not sure...