I have had a Nymphea Lotus for about three months now and it has done
very well in an 18" deep, 33 gallon tank, with plain black gravel, an
under-gravel filter, two Nutrafin CO2 diffusers and one 25 watt Aqua
Glow florescent tube. It also gets some diffuse sunlight through a
curtained window.

The leaf growth has been steady and all of the leaves have a beautiful
mottled red and green colouration. There is now a thick cluster of
submerged leaves about 9 inches tall.

The reason that I am writing is that there is a singular stalk with a
leaf on it that has shot towards the surface over the last three or
four days and the leaf is now just about to reach the surface.

Out of concern for my relatively low light level, I have trimmed any
Torta Vals that reached the surface on a weekly basis. I am now also
concerned that the Lotus surface leaf will block the light to the
lower leaves. I have a canopy on the tank so I have little interest in
leaves floating on the surface from an esthetic perspective.

Will trimming the shoot that is heading to the surface encourage the
growth of more submerged leaves? Should I cut the shoot at where it
comes out of the gravel or higher up?

Any information on maintaining this plant would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Sharp Tooth