Yet Another Question About Filters

[jaimemuffin]

Hi Everyone!
I just got myself my first "real" betta! I say real because previous to this i was a niave betta owner and just had a bowl (though C-Food did live 3 years). He (named Adam West) is a Halfmoon Doubletail. I created a nice little home in a 5 gal (aqua culture aquarium starter kit 5) tank with 4 live plants (2 amazon swords, 1 java fern, 1 marimo moss ball). He has a hiding place (squidwards house) and a little pirate guy to hang out with. He has a heater that is keeping his tank at 78*. The issue im having is with his filter : (. It is way too strong! It is a “Aquatech power filter 5-15” that came with the kit. Does anyone out there know anything about this filter? Does anyone know if it is worth it to try to “baffle” it or should I just replace it? And if I should replace it, what should I replace it with? My pockets are stretched a bit thin, but I want to be a good betta-mom. At the moment I turned the filter off, I figured hed rather be a bit dirty for a day or two rather than smooshed against the side of the tank.
Thanks so much!
~jaimemuffin
(ps, i do have a picture, but its too big and i cannot upload til i resize it at home!)

 

[bettanoob]

I was told to put a sponge over the filter this would slow down the power drastically and also do a fine filter on the way out. But instead of tryin this with my stingray filter I just got a bigger tank

 

[Fishy friend2]

I have the aqua tech filter in my 5 gallon too!!!! And your right the filter is too strong, this is what I did to help with the strong current
http/www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=30139

 

[jaimemuffin]

thank you thank you thank you! i will be baffling my filter in the morning

 

[jaimemuffin]

So i baffled the filter, but it still seems to throw him around a bit on the edges (that he keeps going to). Should i add a sponge too?

 

[Fishy friend2]

i added a sponge at first and it worked really well the only reason that i took it off is because i wanted him to be able to go over and play in the current.