Pruning tools, tips...?

[schoeplein]

Which tools do you use when pruning your plants?
Where did you buy them? Amazon, Home Depot, LFS?

Like a pair of metzenbaum scissors? Curved? Is there a particular pair of tweezers or tongs you've grown accustomed to? Is a certain tool better for stems vs. plants that come in small bundles?

I've been using the nails on my thumb and index finger to prune dead leaves, and I have this long rod with a two point "claw" I've been using to plant stems in the back of my tank. It's too large and clumsy for planting young or small plants (like staurogyne). Stuff like that I've been planting by hand.

I'm hoping to pick up some nice tools to help propagate my future growth. Possibly even manipulate fishing string with a hemostat to tie pieces of fern to my driftwood without removing the driftwood from the tank...

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[Brookster123]

Amazon Has 10" scissors and tweezers that are nice, cheap too.. I also picked up a set of 24" planting tings at petco which are great!

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[Darkseid76]

I use regular scissors to trim. But I definitely need some type of tongs.

 

[Coursair]

I got a nice set of long handled SS tools off of eBay or Amazon.

Looks like this one. I shopped around and found the best price that had good ratings.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007KP6V10?pc_redir=1402146043&robot_redir=1

Mine is the 11" six piece set with pouch from Arizona Aquatics. Seller ??


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[Darkseid76]

That looks like an operating table setup Coursair lol

 

[hroom88]

There are only 2 that you would need in my experience.
1. Curved scissors;
2. Tweezers

Curved scissors provide a better angle to prune stem plants and especially carpeting plants(if you have any).
Tweezers, especially fine ones like the ones by ada allow for planting smaller plants like DHG, HM, Hc, etc. You may find it particularly difficult to plant these with your hand.

Some examples:

 

[hroom88]

That looks like an operating table setup Coursair lol

Most of the paraphernalia is needed when setting up the tank for the first time. That done, you would need only the 2 I've mentioned, on a weekly basis for maintenance.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

I started out with an aquascaping kit that can be had on Amazon or eBay. It gets the job done but they aren't as nice as the GLA tools I got on clearance last year.

http://www.amazon.com/Deluxe-Profes...id=1402330486&sr=8-5&keywords=aquascaping+kit

Then the GLA tools which are excellent. But I got them at an incredible price. I just wouldn't pay full price unless I had so much disposable income I didn't know what to do with...lol



But out of all my tools, I find that the sharp pointed pinsettes work best for planting. For tight spaces, I really like my spring scissors. And for mowing a lawn of HC
or DHG, I really like the wave scissors.

The GLA tools are pretty expensive at full retail price. However, this set of pinsetes on eBay look to be a decent pair for the money.

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=350946195046&alt=web

 

[sallyjano]

I got these and think they are great for the price! Straight tweezers, curved tweezers and curved scissors for just $9 with free shipping.

Amazon.com : Vktech 3 in 1 Stainless Steel Aquarium Tank Aquatic Plant Tweezers Scissors Tools : Aquariam Tweezers : Office Products

 

[hroom88]

I started out with an aquascaping kit that can be had on Amazon or eBay. It gets the job done but they aren't as nice as the GLA tools I got on clearance last year.

Deluxe Professional Aquarium Tool Kits - Hand Tool Sets - Amazon.com

Then the GLA tools which are excellent. But I got them at an incredible price. I just wouldn't pay full price unless I had so much disposable income I didn't know what to do with...lol



But out of all my tools, I find that the sharp pointed pinsettes work best for planting. For tight spaces, I really like my spring scissors. And for mowing a lawn of HC
or DHG, I really like the wave scissors.

The GLA tools are pretty expensive at full retail price. However, this set of pinsetes on eBay look to be a decent pair for the money.

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=350946195046&alt=web

Whats the GLA accessories? Never heard of them.

 

[Darkseid76]

GLA= Green Leaf Aquariums

 

[schoeplein]

GLA = wayyyy overpriced goods. They're the louis vuitton of freshwater aquarist goods.


The three piece set for $9.20 ain't bad, but doesn't qualify for the $35 needed for free shipping. And I really only want bent tweezers and a bent/curved pair of scissors.

I'm also re-upping my Prime, Flourish and Excel through Amazon, which puts me around $32 not including the tools...

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

GLA = wayyyy overpriced goods. They're the louis vuitton of freshwater aquarist goods.

True.. But when $50 scissors were going for $10 to $15, I jumped at it. Coming from using 99¢ scissors from the 99¢ store, then the kit, these GLA tools are amazing. They're on par if not better to ADA tools. But I would never pay full price for them. There's a guy that occasionally sells unbranded versions of these tools in TPT for much less. I'd watch out for them or the super rare clearance sales as i stumbled upon if you want excellent tools.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f24/fyi-gla-aquascaping-tools-are-on-clearance-279977.html

 

[aqua_chem]

Like a pair of metzenbaum scissors? Curved? Is there a particular pair of tweezers or tongs you've grown accustomed to? Is a certain tool better for stems vs. plants that come in small bundles?

Someone's spent some time in an OR...


You can get specially designed tools, or expensive tools, but for most of my career I used fabric scissors with a pink handle and some cheap tongs I jacked from a chemistry lab as an undergrad. The more expensive stuff is great and all, and some things REALLY need special curved scissors (mowing the lawn anybody?), but lots can be accomplished without it.

Also, to be fair, the expensive aquarium tools use much better material and have inferior design to the expensive stuff. You do get more out of your tools if you spend more on them. I have the cheap china-import scissors, and they've started to rust on me from use.

 

[schoeplein]

I picked up some standard titanium Fiskar scissors but I still really need a long set of precision tongs to keep from lacerating several stems at once...

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