table shrimp/silverside to start fish-less cycle? and establishing filter media...

I'm going away to germany in a few days, be gone for nearly 2 weeks, and when I get back, I'll be setitng up 2 10g tanks- a 3 way divided for my three bettas, and one for female guppies. I'm moving the remaing fish in the 29 out very soon, and planning to toss either a silverside or table shrimp in the tank to start a cycle. also- I'd like to try to establish some filter media for the two future tanks at the same time. I'm planning to use whisper filter cartidges; can I just throw those loose in the tank? or what?

no, its not yet fully cycled. I have some betta tanks which have been established longer and are all planted, and I'm shifting things around so that the guppies in the 29 will be in there (separated from the bettas, of course) and the 29 will be empty.

I was planning to put either a thawed silverside or thawed shrimp (have both on hand to feed my lion) in the 29 so it woudl decay, creating ammonia and starting a fishless cycle.