What to put in new 70 gallon tank?

Hello, i have managed to make a lovely 70 gallon tank. it is all
hardwood except the front of course. it had passed the leak test
outside with flying colours. i really expected atleast one leak, but i
guess i did a good job siliconing. Oh and i also used a beautiful
pebble patterned pool liner i already had for a garden pond.
Any ways it is in my room and is in the proccess of being cycled
by some danios. So i had some questions. #1. should i put some plants
in before it is cycled or after?(do the plants get sick or die if the
ammonia is too high?). #2. i have a couple bala sharks(AKA
tri-color shark) and ID sharks in another tank and am wanting to move
them into this one once cycled and add some more bala and ID sharks
with them since they seem happier when the have buddies to swim with
. Anyways, i have had yellow lab cichlids with them before and the
balas got along great with them, but the ID shark did not(fins got bit
at). My question is, with this size of tank will my bala sharks be
fine with other species of cichlids? and will the ID shark be fine?(i
am willing to leave him in the tank he is in now if he won't. i think
the reason why he got nipped at was cause he likes to lay around like
pretty much all other catfish)
So any suggestions on what type of cichlids i could get would be
great. And also, i know the smaller cichlids (~2.5") were fine with
my bala sharks, but will larger cichlids be ok, or will they try to eat
them

Any responses would be appreciated, Thank you.

Nic