Since it's a new install, the easier would probably be to install our SEO premod directly. You can just drop you current files and db and install it since it's a brand new forum.
Though, as a general advise, you should only open the forum when you have set it up properly. It's just better to show a usable forum at first to bots and users.

About settings, well it depends on how you will use your forum, take the time to test the numerous options, it's worth it and it can save a lot of time for the future. Reading the doc (install files and release threads) is worth it too.

You can get rid of the -f, using the forum id removing option. Once you'll have set up the forum custom url in the forum url management acp menu, these will not show up with the option.
But topics will keep on using them.

I know this thread is old and is 2 Years old But I'm curious how did it work out for you?

I was thinking of putting up WP3.01 phpbb 3.07 and phpbb SEO into a new forum for my Mod Install Service site http://www.phpbbmodinstalls.com/
at the moment I'm running just Wordpress over there.
I was thinking of installing the forum manly as a demo forum to show off all the mods that I installed.

Excellent thank you Trying to find out why my wp-supercache is not working on my free blog site.
I was going to start the project but got side tracked by the blog site