AirStone Bubbles Creating Too Much Flow

HI Everyone!
I have my Betta in a planted 10-gallon with some yellow shrimp and snails.
I have the tank running on a canister filter that has a sponge over the outflow in order to avoid extreme flow (problem 1). I also have an air stone set up in the tank (problem 2).

Two things:
#1, Am I harming the filter by putting a sponge over the outflow?
I feel like I'm not allowing it to work the way it was intended. (NOTE: I originally had a modified sponge filter in the tank but it was SO loud, no matter what I tried and it was creating too much flow SO I installed the canister filter and put the sponge over the outflow.) BUT When I did this, I noticed my tank suffering. IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAN
I put the air stone in the tank because I had some tetras in there and they seemed to be oxygen deprived (lack of vibrant colors and up at the top of the water with behavior that looked like they were trying to breath oxygen at the surface) and my plants looked sad. Once I put the air stone in, the fish and the plants perked up. I have since moved the tetras to a different tank BUT the air stone is stressing my betta and I don't want to remove it and have that negatively effect the plants or the shrimp in the tank.

#2, The air stone bubbles create a fairly large current and I think it's stressing the betta out. His top fin is starting to look a little clamped. My water parameters are consistently great. Is there a way I can tone it down the bubbles without removing it altogether? I've already put rocks over the air stone to try and stifle it a little but that doesn't seem to help at all.

Alternative Solution:
I have a 5-gallon planted tank that I could move the Betta to. It currently has my culled/hybrid shrimp and the tetras previously mentioned. I could swap in the Betta and move the Tetras to the 10-gallon. (I don't want to overstock the 5-gallon or stress anyone out). HOWEVER, the 5-gallon has a corner sponge filter that still has a bit of a flow to it so I would need tips on how to control that better. This would allow me to remove the sponge over the outage on the canister as well (preferred**).

The Items I mentioned:
Air Pump & Air Stone:
Canister Filter (110 gph)- in 10-g:
Corner Filter- in 5-g:

 

Air stones mostly work by creating movement at the surface where air and water meet. The rising bubbles don't really do much so you could try raising the air stone to just below the surface so you get the ripples for gas exchange whilst reducing the movement in the water below.

 

Air stones mostly work by creating movement at the surface where air and water meet. The rising bubbles don't really do much so you could try raising the air stone to just below the surface so you get the ripples for gas exchange whilst reducing the movement in the water below.

oh my god... I'm a complete idiot for not thinking to do that...
Thank you! I will try that and see how that goes

 

You could buy an air valve, all you'd have to do is cut your air tube into 2 pieces and pop it in near the actual pump then you can adjust how much air is going through and how fast so you can still produce bubble and O2 but just with less current and still get a gas exchange going at the top.

 

Get a two or three port gang with adjustable wheels. They cost about $3 and make managing air a whole lot easier.

 

You could buy an air valve, all you'd have to do is cut your air tube into 2 pieces and pop it in near the actual pump then you can adjust how much air is going through and how fast so you can still produce bubble and O2 but just with less current and still get a gas exchange going at the top.

Sorry, I didn't see your reply-- this is super smart! thank you!

Get a two or three port gang with adjustable wheels. They cost about $3 and make managing air a whole lot easier.

Do you have an example of one?

 

Air stones mostly work by creating movement at the surface where air and water meet. The rising bubbles don't really do much so you could try raising the air stone to just below the surface so you get the ripples for gas exchange whilst reducing the movement in the water below.

Studies have found that the oxygen transfer from bubble plumes is >95% from the bubbles and <5% from the resulting surface agitation.

 

Do you have an example of one?

Here's a four way gang on Amazon for $7



Here is a one way for $1.50.

Amazon.com : Fluval A1175 Air Plastic Control Valve : Aquarium Air Pump Accessories : Pet Supplies

 

Here's a four way gang on Amazon for $7



Here is a one way for $1.50.

Amazon.com : Fluval A1175 Air Plastic Control Valve : Aquarium Air Pump Accessories : Pet Supplies

okay thanks-- I've got the single one in a drawer for my water changes, I can give that a try! appreciate it!

 

Studies have found that the oxygen transfer from bubble plumes is >95% from the bubbles and <5% from the resulting surface agitation.

4piR^2 gives you a lot of surface area!