Corkscrew val

[Moe]

I have corkscrew vallisneria growing in the back of the tank. They have reached the surface and are growing across the top of the tank. Are you supposed to cut them back? There are other plants growing in the center, I think the vals may begin to obstruct their light. Do you cut the vals at the top like with a scissors? Or do you cut the really long ones at the base and wait for new ones to grow? As you can probably tell I'm pretty new to plants. I'm just so happy they are growing so well!

 

[AquaNut]

You can do either. I often just tear the really long leaves/blades so they're shorter than the water level again. Some people say that makes them look unsightly, and recommend that you pinch them off at the base of the plant. Tearing them off at the base will encourage the plant to send up new growth or set out runners. If your val isn't already taking over your tank, you may find that to be desirable. Also, you are correct about the val eventually over-shading the other plants in your tank. However, I really like the way the val looks when growing across the surface, so I usually leave a few leaves to float and curl around.