"JohnDoe" wrote
I have some stem plants in my tank, They are growing really well. The
thing is I haven't trimmed them yet, and they are growing to the top
of the tank. Since I have a lid on top they tend to bend and curl up a
bit.

I'm wondering what happens if I don't trim them?

So stem plants die off eventually if I just leave it as is?

If I am a bit lazy and don't trim my stem plants
for a few weeks then they do keep growing up
and along the surface.
They start blocking out the light and acting as a
trap for algae and gunk though so I don't recommend it.
Main culprits are Bacopa and Ceratopteris.
There are better surface plants if you need some shade
although Ceratopteris can be grown free floating.
(btw not sure if Ceratopteris is, strictly speaking, a stem
plant as such but you get my drift)

--
Graham Ramsay
Blairgowrie (UK)
www.ibrox.freeserve.co.uk/aquarium.htm