Does putting a sponge filter in a filled tank without fishes promote beneficial bacterial growth?

I have a free water supply near my house and I was thinking of stocking up the water in a spare fish tank. I was thinking that I could use the water collected to replenish the water siphoned out of my aquarium. I was also thinking of putting a sponge filter in this tank to purify and oxygenate the water, therefore do the beneficial bacteria grow in this filter? And can I use the filter for another new set-up tank?