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Perth Cichlid Society Forum (Powered by Invision Power Board) Heaps of info in there to read up on.
Here is my tank at the moment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKUt1LiiQiU
I think plants can get pretty difficult for a novice, fertilisers, lighting, substrate etc.
The set-up really depends on what kind of fish you will be keeping. Cichilds like high PH so you will need limestone/holy rock or crushed limestone substrate to buffer the water. Other fish like low PH and need lots of wood etc.