Setting up a 125g South American/Angelfish tank

[c_man7]

I will be moving soon and plan to sell my reef tank to avoid the headache of trying to move with it and keep all live stock corals, fish, and inverts alive and unharmed. I plan to use that money to buy a 125 gallon aquarium.
I plan on doing a south american biotope with angels. I had a few questions as far as stocking and filtration. Plan to stock with river rock and driftwood, poolfilter sand and maybe a bag of ecocomplete or similar to give some nutrients. Plant low tech but keep a decent amount of plants.

Filtration I plan on two
Sunsun 304's one on each side. some mechanical and mostly bio filtration.
and either a AC 110 or sun sun 302/303 running mostly polishing/chemical filtration.

My plan to safe stock start all juvenile sizes
6 Angelfish
2-4 German Blue Rams/Bolivian Rams (which would work better with stock)
10-12 Cories (peppered, emerald, or false julii)
2 bristlenose
15-20 Cardinal or Rummynose Tetra (I've had success with these and angels growing them out together)

Additional fish
Otos
Some fuller body tetra (bleeding heart or lemon tetra)
What else would work with this set up?

 

[darth pike]

The blue rams would work better if you are going to have the elevated temps for the cardinals or rummynose, but the otos and cories won't appreciate it. If you stick with the bleedinghearts and more normal temps for the angels, otos, and cories, then the bolivans would be the better option.

 

[decoy50]

I ran a nearly identical setup to this. I'll make a few recommendations. Since you don't have the 125 purchase yet, try to buy a 150 instead. Its the same footprint as the 125, just taller. Angels always look better in taller tanks. & I've found that fewer species, but larger numbers make for a more attractive setup. In my 150 I had 6 Wild caught Peruvian angels(I got lucky & they were all pairs) German blue rams, cardinal tetras, sterbai cories(they can handle 82degress unlike some other cories) & bristlenose. Very peaceful & busy tank. I wish I had kept it as it was