Setting up a new 50g bredding tank for Green Severum... hints, tips please?

Well, as the subject implies, I'm getting a 50g tank set up for breeding
green severum. I've always thought they were gorgeous fish, and there
seems to be quite a bit of interest from the local fish stores for tank
raised severum.

I've done quite a bit of reading online and with various other books, but,
what are the basics?

pH I want around 6.4-6.6, right?

I've got the temp of the tank at 73.5 right now, and when I want them to
breed, I've been told to slowly lower the tank temp a few degrees, and then
raise it back up.

How about light, and any other water attributes? should I just leave them
the same as I would were I not trying to breed?

I've got some lace rock from a previous tank that I want to put in, but
I've been told by one fish store that lace rock will raise pH, but another
told me that it won't. Will it?

And, there are several different methods of getting peat in to your water.
What are the plus's and minuses of the different methods? Tablet, using an
actual peat pot, raw peat, etc...

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Kevin