Filter Too High/Strong, Need Advice

I just got a new 10 gallon tank for my CFB, and it came with a Top Fin Power 10 filter that hangs on the back of the tank on the outside.

Anyway, I got it up and running yesterday and I'm worried that it might be too strong for my newt. Right now I've got the water level at about 4/5ths the way full, leaving just enough room for a magnetic turtle bank in the corner with a fake tree that my CFB liked climbing in his old tank.

So when I got the filter running yesterday, it seems like the water is falling either too high or too hard, because it really seemed to bother my newt, he was really panicking trying to get out of the water. Also, the current seemed to have an effect on his food: normally I feed him frozen blood worms, which I drop into the water, and as it thaws the worms fall down into his feeding dish (I gave him a dish so that his food wouldn't get stuck in his gravel) but with the filter it just gets pushed away and lands all over the place.

What should I do?? Should I give him time to get used to it? Turn it off when its time to feed him?? Should I try to jury rig something to divert/slow the flow? Or invest in a different filter?

I would recommend using a Fluval Plus 1 filter with a Fluval spray bar,(its what I'm currently using) you then can set the amount of water disturbance by "aiming" the spray at the back of the tank or into the water this also helps to oxygenate the water.
I think I'm correct in saying that your current filter is way to strong, as most newts dislike strong water movement.

I did a google search on my filter and came across a fish care forum where someone had a similar problem to mine. People gave him advice to try cutting up a piece of kitchen sponge and putting that, or fine netting, into the exit of the filter to slow the flow. Another person suggested tearing fins off the impeller to slow water uptake.

And a third possibility that I though of myself is maybe stuffing something into the uptake tube to slow uptake.

Do any of these solutions sound reasonable to you guys?

If it were me I would not use the power filter at all. A sponge filter driven by an air pump would create a much quieter envornment in a 10 gallon tank. Also, how are you securing the tank with a power filter in place? CFB's are notorious escape artists, being able to squeeze through very small spaces.
Chip

I've covered all the openings around with aluminum foil. The only opening is more or less the water fall itself, which is also about an inch from the glass. I don't think he should be able to get out of that (I'd be impressed if he pulled that one off)

In the long run, I suspect you'll get a different kind of filter. I would suggest breaking the fall of the water by stacking 2 bricks + additional rocks as needed to get the level of the rocks immediately under the outflow (but far enough that the newt cannot climb from the rocks into the filter). The water will cascade over/around the rocks and have a lot less force in the tank.