seeding new tank for shrimp?

[FishSim]

Will beneficial bacteria die if I remove the media from my current established hob filter and give it a good scrubbing in old tank water?

I'm planning on starting a smaller tank for my shrimp. They are currently in a 10 gallon planted with some live bearers. I'd like to move the shrimp out and into their own tank. I bought some fluval substrate for them and hope they reproduce without the worry of having the babies get eaten. I've got about 15 RCS in the tank right now.

If I move some of the filter media over to the new tank would it be safe for the shrimp to go over too? Should I even clean the filter media? Should I use old tank water too?

Comments and suggestions welcome!

 

[aquandrew]

it could definitely work. the only thing i would be worried about is there not being a layer of biofilm and the new tank being unstable. why not buy a sponge filter, put a piece of your old filter in the new tank, and cycle it with ammonia? it will allow for some biofilm to grow, and for you to get the water conditions correct. and adding cycled material will greatly reduce the cycle time