Plastic Tubing Size Adapters

[blacksheep998]

So I've gotten fed up with my ill-fitting sponge filter intake covers and have been searching for a better solution. I finally found someone selling these:

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww332/tadege/spongefilter006Small.jpg

I know that that is normally used as a simple sponge filter but I want to use it to replace the HOB's filter intake. My problem though is tube sizing. The stem below the elbow on that assembly is 1/2 inch and the elbow is designed to fit a 5/8 inch tube at the top. My filter intakes are 5/8 inch, so it would be perfect except for the elbow joint!

I'm sure I could take off the elbow joint but can't seem to find a 1/2-5/8 adapter tube that isn't an elbow. Can anyone help me find one or suggest some other way to connect them?

Edit: I just thought of using vinyl tubing to connect them. I haven't used it too much before, but I remember it being quite stretchy. Does anyone who has used it more than me think a 1/2 inch diameter piece could be stretched over the 5/8 inch intake tube or am I better off getting some 5/8 inch tubing and using a plastic pull tie or something to clamp it to the narrower tube?

[blacksheep998]

If anyone was interested I got it installed and it works great. It gives a huge boost to the filter's flow-rate and gives the shrimp twice as much sponge to browse through. It turned out to be pretty easy to install too, I just used a couple differently sized pieces of vinyl tube and everything fit together very snugly. No gluing or clamping required. I would defiantly use this as an intake cover on any future shrimp tanks.

http://i.imgur.com/gQu0Z.jpg

[peanut8787]

Bro to me it doesn't appear presentable but it's usable anyway. Well done

[blacksheep998]

Bro to me it doesn't appear presentable but it's usable anyway. Well done

Ya, its a little screwy looking. I was able to straighten out the tubes a bit, so its a little less crooked now.

[bikersoy]

Although this system is very good, very quickly saturated sponge and filter flow rate decreases, so that almost every week there to clean the sponge.
I am using the pre EHEIM filter comes with two sponges of grain sizes and adapts to different tubes.
He has been three months in operation and still have not had to clean it up and I noticed that the filter reduce the flow and filter EHEIM 2071 is a professional series III.
I've also seen some pre stainless steel filters are sold in different sizes to keep our small shrimp end up on the filter, I've bought but still have not received it and tried to give an assessment.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_z1duqA_v8pM/TZrTavmkI8I/AAAAAAAACRU/p-suhTWtShg/s800/Prefilters.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_z1duqA_v8pM/TZrVmK_9UnI/AAAAAAAACRg/scKX70RZ4ZI/s800/Acuario_007.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_z1duqA_v8pM/TZrVm8JiifI/AAAAAAAACRk/OsmmmYJOAtc/s144/montaje%20gambario%20004.JPG

[blacksheep998]

Those steel mesh covers look pretty good. I hope when you get them you'll let us know if they are any more resistant to clogging up than sponges.

[gourmettea]

That looks nice blacksheep. I was thinking of adding the same to my HOB, right now I just zip tied some filter floss to the intake.

Bikersoy: Where did you get those stainless steel prefilters? I've seen them in other people's pictures and I've always wondered who made them.