Best background color for Flowerhorns

[hamfist]

Nice setup, you have any problems with your horns up rooting the plastic plants?

Oh yeah. They frequently "re-arrange" them to their liking. I don't see it as a problem though. They enjoy it, which means so do I !

 

[v3n0m]

I like a gravel substrate for FH's, and they do too !
Let's all be honest here, the fish enjoy sifting through it, digging in it etc. V3nOm, I can see from your picture that whatever fish is/was in that tank also likes digging, judging from the pile at the front. Why remove something that improves their quality of life.
Personally, I also like a black background for FH's too, faders and otherwise .... so long as you have decent lighting.
I think your tank is just a little full (that is if there is a big fish in there now (I can't see one at all!)). For a bigger fish I'd remove just a bit of the decor, and arrange the rest more in the middle, or in a sort of strip from left to right, again in the middle of the tank. That still gives maximum swimming room around the outside, around the front back and both sides of the decor. Also something with a bit of height ... either a plant or a bit of wood ? .... near the centre of the tank is nice to my eyes.
Also, you could try some of the plastic plants that stick on to the back of the tank, made for vivariums ... they look great in aquaria too. I have used them for ages, as have many others with no problems,, so no need to worry about chemicals leaching from the plastic.
I can't stand all these empty, bare-bottomed tanks. The reason you see bare-bottomed tanks is for ease of maintenance, not because the fish actually prefer it that way.
Just for interest here are my current setups. One 150G set up for a big fish. Hopefully you can see what I mean about setting the decor up in a strip from left to right in the centre of the tank, leaving swimming room all around.
Then theres an 80G split in half for two grow outs. I would like a black background in the 150G too, and I tried it, but the fish goes nuts at his own reflection in the back of the tank. It was very stressful for him, so the tank remains background-less. It's not too bad though as there is a plain white wall behind the tank, so as long as I keep wires and tubes relatively unobtrusive it's basically got a white background.
The lights are not on in any of the pics.

Thanks for the feedback! Your right the fish I had in there before was a RD and it dug like crazy. The FH is in there in that picture but I dont know where lol, he was camera shy at the time I guess, usually when he sees someone he will start freaking out swimming up and down the glass begging for food. Him being only about 4 inches though its pretty easy to miss him in there sometimes. We are pretty much on the same page decor wise. Not sure If Im going to keep the gravel or not, but Im surely getting rid of most if not all of the stuff in there besides the large stones, and I'm planning on just arranging them different and using that as my centerpiece so to speak. I am going to be changing from a black background though. Ive already been noticing that he is dark alot of the time, its weird though cause when I go to feed him, or when hes attacking plants or something his colors bling. Im hoping a nice blue background will fix the problem.

 

[MrGillz]

Nice setup, you have any problems with your horns up rooting the plastic plants? I would like to try plants but that seems to be the only thing repeling me from trying. I was thinking wood with java fern attatched to it.

I buy the plastic plants secured in a formed rock base. They can be moved all over the tank but stay in the weighted base. Ive had to re-glue the plant in the base with silicone but besides that they are great! Would be fine in a bare bottom too actually.

 

[hamfist]

I buy the plastic plants secured in a formed rock base. They can be moved all over the tank but stay in the weighted base. Ive had to re-glue the plant in the base with silicone but besides that they are great! Would be fine in a bare bottom too actually.

Me too. They're great.