225 African tank ideas

[Rafini]

Hey all, in the process of emptying out my 225 and have been thinking a lot lately on what to do with it next.
I have decided against Marine, and I have kept central/sa cichlids for over 10 years. I have dipped my foot into africans a few times with Malawi and Tang tanks but now after having some nice larger predatory community fish I have decided that I want to go to the concept of an african tank.

The measurements are
5' long, 3' wide and 2' tall.

Here are a few Ideas I came up with recently

Frontosa and possibly tang tank (I don`t wish to breed the frontosa or have a large colony) this depends on the local availability of tangs.
Hap and frontosa
Hap only
Mixed lake tank of NON mbuna
Tropheus (kinda put off by their price when matched with their tendency to die or bloat.
Petrochromis (would be awesome but I doubt how easily they would be obtained.
Extreme Biotope tank, have only fish that come from the lake including non cichlids.



I don`t really claim to be an expert on Africans, and these are just a few ideas I have had thrown around in my head. Ultimately I want some help with getting some good ideas!
What do you guys think? throw anything out there even if its wildly different to what I have thought of so far

Thanks a lot guys!

 

[Heretik]

All male mixed hap/peacock tank would be my route.

 

[mobaman1]

I'm a little biased but I think that tank is in dire need of a large group of frontosas! lol

 

[Rafini]

With an all hap tank could I add them slowly or does it have to be all at once?
Can I not have fronts and haps? I mean I don`t plan on breeding the fronts and I don`t mind their ventrals being trimmed

 

[Heretik]

its preferable to add them all at once..... You can add a front to the mix if you really want but I wouldn't recommend it. IMHO fronts do better in a colony/breeding group.

 

[Rafini]

I have kept fronts before but never as a species only tank, I usually keep them with other fish and I never had any issues.

That is one of the things I was worried about, its such a huge tank that filling it all at once would cost WAY too much money.
does anyone have any idea for non cichlid inhabitants?