Setting up new QT w/ Old Sponge Filter? / Fish suggestions

[Pandicorn]

Hi all, to start I have a 45 gallon tank, pretty healthy, and pretty understocked. It is mildly planted, with a fluval 306 and a Dual sponge filter similar to this.
This tank has been running for probably a year now, and I'm looking to get some new fish.
Current fish
3 Peppered Cories
2 GBR (Breeding)
7 RMNT
2 NT

I was looking to get some more Peppered Cories, Neon tetras, RMNT, and some angels too if I could fit them?

I also have a 10 gallon with some plants and driftwood, with a tiny filter. It hasn't been up in a while (6+ months), and I was thinking that I could empty it (Take out sand & plants & wood) and use it as a QT! I would then used the currently cycled Sponge filter, with the small filter serving as mechanical filtration. What fish should I get, and how should I go about doing it? Thanks for help!

 

[elephantnose]

I've always wanted to get a 10g heavily plant it and put a platinum elephant ear betta and shrimp... Or just a rare shrimp colony.... My only ten gallon currently holds my one Gbr (about two months old) ghost shrimp, and a pond snail farm.

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[Pandicorn]

So it would work? I'm thinking about buying another sponge filter and making it a shrimp tank once current tank is stocked ;D


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[elephantnose]

Yep, as long as the old sponge filter has been running and remains wet, it should basically instantly cycle your tank


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[elephantnose]

Ik, your experienced as me and probably already know about bio load and how you should stock slowly.

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