A good move in the beginning, considering the Submariner probably wasn't working well in very turbid water...
I have almost always found that you can modify a filter cartridge or stuff something into a filter to make it work better than the manufacturer's setup!
Ms. Walstad, do you have a thread on your new tank? I would love to see some more pictures, and hear some more about native fish, as I'm considering native fish for our next aquarium setup (which won't occur until we have a house, or are renting something bigger).