Stocking/ setting up help for 125 gallon with ropefish

Hi, I am pretty new to big tanks. I have had a planted 20 gallon for about 5 years now and decided to finally try a bigger tank. Well I got a 50 g and a month later (last week) was offered a drilled 125 gallon for $75... so I took it. The tank will get here april 11th and will be setup sometime april 20th. I am currently trying to hire my dad to build the stand, based on the pattern listed here so with any luck it'll be here before the 11th. Anyway my SO has impulse buy problems with fun fish and I ended up with a single ropefish. I've had him in the 50g (48" x 13" footprint) for about a month and I think he would benefit from being in a bigger tank with friends and sand. That said, I am currently planning on planting the 125 gallon for the ropefish adding at least 2 more ropefish, eggcrate and screening the top, substrate will probably be sand with root tabs. I am leaning towards LED lights right now but it wouldn't be possible to hang from ceiling so I'd need some type of bar system to hang it from. Since it is drilled I was thinking 20g long sump with ceramic since it sounded easier than wet/dry. I could also buy a Fluval FX5 if that would be better? I will probably screen the pipes so nobody escapes as well. My ropefish has been rather tame about that, but who knows what the new ones will do. I also promised my SO a synodontis. We are currently trying to get a species name for the store pet he fell in love with but I am leaning toward it being a synodontis ocellifer. He could probably go into the 50g instead once the ropefish has been moved. I don't have a limited budget for fish but would prefer to keep it below $50 each.

I will probably be moving within the next two years. We excepted that it'll suck to move the tanks but can throw money at it to get help/time. It would somewhat beneficial to stock with less delicate fish who would be able to survive the move.

Some fish I really want to keep eventually with tank ideas listed below. I am located in Florida currently. Discus (probably not a good idea till I have permanent location), cichlids, bichirs, natives? (bluegill, gars, honestly don't know what else I am a saltwater fisher), Archers ( I really have no xp with brackish), rainbowfish, puffers, farlowella cats, banjo cats, loaches, killifish, pretend eels (fire ect) and probably a hundred more I haven't even heard of.

I wanted to use the big tank for big / fun fish originally but putting the ropefish in there kinda halted my plans. Things I was thinking: I was looking at new world cichlids as possible tank mates and saw a few old threads that suggesting singles of festivum, blue acara, firemouth may work with the ropefish but may destroy the plants. I was wondering if anyone had experience with that? Are they bottom dwelling too? Would there be food issues / empty tank areas? My current rope is not a fast eater and doesn't eat the neon tetras in with him. He is ~12 inches now. Also dats were mentioned as possible tank mates. Any other N.W cichlids that could work? Texas? Denisen barbs as dithers?

I was also considering an african themed tank. I have a leopard ctenopoma in my 20 gallon as grow out for the 50 gallon but he could be moved to the 125 gallon. There didn't see to be much in the way of middle swimmersfor an african tank. It looked like congo tetras, ctenopoma, african butterfly(top) and brown knife. Any other suggestions? I also don't really have a good feel for number of fish for a tank of this size. Would 3 ropes, 10 congos, and a knife be too many or could I add more? I did see a thread where a ctenopoma injured a knife though so I was hesitant to mix the two.

My other option would be a planted community. Angels or rainbowfish with some other schoolers like cherry barbs. It almost seems a waste to use a 125g for this instead of some cool large growing fish. I don't really know of anything else. The 50g will have a pair of angels so I don't know if I want to have angels in another tank as well.

Natives? Pretty much a blank here! I have no clue as to what would fit / how many / would they play nice with ropes.

Any other suggestions welcome! There are so many oddball fish that I probably haven't heard of 1/10th of the cool stuff if peoples aquariums.

I was somewhat concerned with keeping multiple electrical fish. I heard they could interact with each other and cause stress. Have you seen any of that? Spiny eels wouldn't out compete the ropes for food? Are they both slower eaters? Yeah I adore catfish and it has lead to some tank balancing problems haha. I heard about issues with ropes and plecos my BN doesn't seem to bother him but I think I'll leave them out for now.

I am thinking:
8-10 Congo tetras
synodontis sp probably ocellifer
3- ropefish
african knife
leopard ctenopoma
3-african butterfly
either spiny eel or senegal bichir (maybe both pending bottom space?)

Would that tank be to bottom heavy and have territory issues? Any stock comments heavy or light? Food issues?

Thanks everyone for suggestions!

Okay, yeah I have to do special things to make sure my ropefish currently gets his share of food and I definitely think he needs friends.

8-10 Congo tetras
synodontis sp probably ocellifer
5- ropefish
african knife
leopard ctenopoma
l bichir senegal / delhezi / palmas can't pick one yet. I believe they all should be good for a 125.

How does this look at stock? It is definitely looking like I'll have a sump system that is eel proofed. Lid will probably be eggcrate and sealed with screen if anything is close to the opening size. My current rope is to big for eggcrate. Pothos is definitely an option. It'll be planted, I am unsure if I'll keep to african for plants, I like water sprite a lot. Definitely will have anubias. African fern maybe- plants can be hard to find here and shipping can be meh because of the heat. I don't know if I'll have the light for val.

Would it beneficial to set up a grow out? I have plenty of spare filter media to jump cycle stuff. I have to special order, I think, everything on this list. I assume the bichir would be small to start.

My current plan for the 125 would be to add the congos first so they hit full grown > ropefish when congos exceed mouth size > ctenopoma > knife > bichir / catfish when they exceed mouth sizes (grow out tank?). Ropefish that appear in my city are usually 10 + inches. I don't know if adding ropes + bichir at different times would yield territory issues or not.

Food?
Nightcrawlers, tilapia chunks, frozen bloodworms, NLS pellets, look good?