I'd try to find some way to attatch some sort of filter sponge. This will also greatly reduce the maintenance you have to perform on your actual filter, but you'll have to be sure that the sponge itself doesn't get covered in crud and cause your motor to burn out trying too hard to suck water. I put something as simple as panty hose on my gf's 10 gallon bio-wheel 100 and since there was so much crap floating around the pantyhose got completely covered and overnight the motor burned out.