Very nice score even if you can't get the filter going. It might be as simple at taking it apart and cleaning it out like Virgil recommended, it's worked for me in the past, or just replace the malfunctioning part from the manufacturer (pain in the ass to wait for if you cannot find at the lfs but worth it). Also like Virgil, I'm very fond of the Chocolate cichilds having had them in the past, but I have no experience in breeding them. They're such smart and personable fish, they change color with moods, they get to a good chunky size, and they're fairly easy and hardy. They're a middle-top of the tank fish. If I were to breed SA cichlids, it would likely be them or Uaru. The Geophagus species are really cool as well, but I've never kept them myself, only dreamed of. They're a bottom-middle species if I'm not mistaken. I'm not sure if you could breed any Geos and Chocolates in the same tank, but that would be a pretty tank even if it didn't work. Maybe a breeding pair of Chocos or Uarus with 1 male Geo to 2-3 female Geos. Just trying to give you some ideas that I think would work....but for SA cichlids I'd 100% not put the lava rock in the tank, for fear they would just scrape themselves up against it, cutting themselves, especially with breeding behavior.
and im excited i got all of it with the tank. Theres double what you see in the pictures. 
