Easy to use a prefilter there are sponge types as well as stainless steel ones with varying size holes. There are coarse sponge Types which will be able to get fine debris bulk filter pad you can sew one together with fishing line or use a few aquarium bag rubber bands, they will eventually break so have some extra on hand and use a couple extra in case one breaks.
If you use a sponge type prefilter by a name brand kind as the cheap bulk quantity from ebay seem to be a less firm type which collapse much more easily and very soon after installing them.
I would get at least 2 so you can have one clean and ready slip onto the intake and then clean the other. This works great, I clean the dirty one with treated water and drop it back into the back of the tank so it can stay wet and not lose BB.
Every once in awhile it needs a really good cleaning and then you can give it a good rinse with blasting faucet water and clean it thouroughly then you still have the other one ready to go.
People use black knee high panty hose but I dont feel the filter can do its job very well with that blocking it.
There is also Tulle in different size holes, from the fabric store, it comes in different colors and you can fold it over and is a couple fish bag rubber bands to hold at least 2 in case one breaks. The lfs will usually give you a couple extra if you ask for them.