Sponge Filter on HOB?

[The Curious]

I have a 10 gallon aquarium set-up that houses 5 peppered cory cats and a pair of loaches that I am told are kuhli loaches...I have had these two for about half a year now and they are only 2-2.5 inches long and pretty thin and they are not striped...all brown (not the typical striped kuhli). I have Willow Moss taking up over about half of the tank...I love the stuff, but it gets caught in the filter and catches in the impeller to slow down. I have put a standard sponge filter...the type you are supposed to hook up to the open end of an air line from an air pump...around the intake of the HOB to prevent moss getting to the propeller.

I guess my question is...Is it ok to have the sponge set-up this way, considering an air pump would push air out of the sponge, while the intake pulls water through the sponge?

I don't know much about sponge filters and I was just looking for some advice.

[Crispy]

Should work fine. Using an air pump with a sponge filter actually pulls particles into the sponge and not out. I've always used a piece of aquaclear sponge cut to fit for this same problem. Pantyhose would work as well. Make sure it's easy to take off, clean, and put back on. Will save you plenty of headache.

[Northernguy]

Crispys sponge plan will actually work better.
It also works better than the nylons too.It has a much larger surface area so it doesn't clog up as fast.
It can also be used on a new tank after a month to instant cycle it.