sponge filter question

[new2betas]

Got my new sponge filtration system today from Drs. Foster and Smith just like this one:
Foam Aquarium Biological Filters: Oxygen Plus Bio-Filter 11

I ordered four of them because I thought they would be small enough for my small betta tanks (2-2.5 g). I don't think the bettas would be happy with the amount of flow they produce with the bubbles coming out of center.
My question is this....is there anyway to reduce the amount of bubbles coming out of the center hole? And -- will it eventually get weighted down and say on the bottom of the tank because right now it is kind of on the bottom but kind of floating too.

Also - can I use this along with a small cartrige type filter for my red cherry shrimp tank? I put a small filter with cartrige in my tank last night to clear out all of the nasty stuff that that wood produced and it cleared the water nicely. I would like to keep it in there ONLY if it will not disturb the shrimp. I can easily place some netting over that filtration bar thing so they wouldn't get sucked up. But, do they mind the water flow that filters like that produce?

 

[Purrbox]

If you get a gang valve for the sponge filter it will allow you to adjust the bubble flow.

If you don't mind loosing some baby shrimp to the impeller in the HOB filter, you could use that instead.

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

I have not had any babies yet but I'll let you know if I hear any get minced by the filter. The adults are fine and my filter sucks.

 

[saffikeagan]

My Betta is much happier with less flow. I've been trying all sorts of ways to keep one part of the tank with a faster flow then creating a dead spot in the rest of the tank. Yea, even with a huge barrier and more than 1/2 the tank calm, he still went into hiding behind the filter not to be seen unless there was food around.

What I am finally doing is blocking the filter flow with a large ball of Java Moss and that seems to difuse the water enough that he doesn't mind it. He still hates it when I put on the air stones, so I'm probably just going to pull my last air stone up and put the bubble curtain back in place. He doesn't mind that.

 

[saffikeagan]

Oh, and I just set up a tank for some female bettas (because I saw one I just had to get--$50+ later....). She doesn't seem to mind the filter current as much as my male betta.

 

[kimo]

I have not had any babies yet but I'll let you know if I hear any get minced by the filter. The adults are fine and my filter sucks.

You probably won't hear the shrimp get crunched by the impeller unless its half the tank that got in there. They are pretty soft-bodied compared to that impeller.

 

[haykay]

I put a bunch of tall fake plastic (not silk needed harder product) plants in a section in my 125 he has an area now where he can go to avoid the flow of the tank, it works nicely actually, my other betta plays in his flow and he has way bigger/longer fins!