Planting and trimming tools

[CincyScaper]

I am trying to get a decent set of plant maintenance tools as an upgrade from my fluval set (I hate the forceps that it came with , the scissors are straight as well). This would be for both carpet/stem plants

Seeing now countless videos on aquascaping, I think a pointed forceps and curved scissors are what the majority use.

• what are your must have aquascaping tools ?
• which company do you use?

 

[techman81]

I have a set from Waterbox. The scissors have been fine, but I'm a bit frustrated with the pinsettes. I keep reading how ADA's pro pinsettes are the greatest thing since sliced bread but geez, $60 for a pair of long tweezers seems crazy.

 

[Kwyet]

I have these. They’re all cheap but adequate. I probably don’t know what I’m missing, lol! I use all of them regularly except the angled tweezers (hate them). I use the extra long ones all the time in between water changes, so I don’t have to lower the water to keep from sloshing it out just because there’s a piece of debris on the bottom that I want to get out.

 

[Jeff Miotke]

Ive been scaping for 15 years and used probably a dozen brands. Here are my take aways:

Best ADA
Best value (2nd in quality to ADA) - Hydra Aquatics from SevenPorts.com

Most used tools:
Hydra Aquatics Iconic Pro Pinsette
Hydra Aquatics Wave Pro Scissors

These two are all you need to get started and the price is great.

A quick Disclaimer, I am product sponsored by Sevenports. I know the owner and I provide product testing and give feedback to help them continue to excel. Their products are excellent and many are my top picks that I personally have been using for over 5 years. Most of my studio is from their product line. Im grateful for their support. Without I wouldn’t be able to make the YouTube videos to share my aquascaping insights with you all.

Hope that helps!

 

[techman81]

Well dangit! The ADA pinsettes had been in my Aqua Forest Aquarium shopping cart for the last month or so. I just checked out. It's just money.

 

[Koan]

I am product sponsored by Sevenports. I know the owner and I provide product testing and give feedback

I have also had wonderful experience shopping from Sevenports, great customer service and products, great prices and tank sizes and shipped in bulletproof packaging.. Really feeds the MTS habit

Haha imagine my surprise then, scrolling through their sale items last week



Miotke Black.. does that come in a turtleneck? Like Steve Jobs?

 

[techman81]

Haha imagine my surprise then, scrolling through their sale items last week

Wow! Gee, what other aquascapers have stuff named after them? Oh yeah, Takashi Amano.

 

[Pepere]

It's just money.

And money sure isnt worth what it was e en 5 years ago…

 

[CincyScaper]

Ive been scaping for 15 years and used probably a dozen brands. Here are my take aways:

Best ADA
Best value (2nd in quality to ADA) - Hydra Aquatics from SevenPorts.com

Most used tools:
Hydra Aquatics Iconic Pro Pinsette
Hydra Aquatics Wave Pro Scissors

These two are all you need to get started and the price is great.

A quick Disclaimer, I am product sponsored by Sevenports. I know the owner and I provide product testing and give feedback to help them continue to excel. Their products are excellent and many are my top picks that I personally have been using for over 5 years. Most of my studio is from their product line. Im grateful for their support. Without I wouldn’t be able to make the YouTube videos to share my aquascaping insights with you all.

Hope that helps!

Thanks for the recommendations and disclosure. Appreciate it. Will be getting those!

This is for a 60x40x40 aquarium, what sizes would you recommend. I see that their pro Pinsettes/scissors are all 12”

 

[BenB]

I haven't read everybody's comments. So it might be mentioned, but the only thing I'd say is in some kits you can buy, the large tweezers don't have the super narrow tips like the ones @Kwyet shows. They suck if you don't get the narrow tip ones. Also, those small, curved scissors are the best thing ever.

 

[CincyScaper]

I haven't read everybody's comments. So it might be mentioned, but the only thing I'd say is in some kits you can buy, the large tweezers don't have the super narrow tips like the ones @Kwyet shows. They suck if you don't get the narrow tip ones. Also, those small, curved scissors are the best thing ever.

Thanks i have been using surgical forceps, and interested to see how these pinesettes works. When you saw small curved scissors do you mean the spring ones or wave ones ?

 

[BenB]

Thanks i have been using surgical forceps, and interested to see how these pinesettes works. When you saw small curved scissors do you mean the spring ones or wave ones ?

The spring ones.

 

[Jeff Miotke]

Thanks for the recommendations and disclosure. Appreciate it. Will be getting those!

This is for a 60x40x40 aquarium, what sizes would you recommend. I see that their pro Pinsettes/scissors are all 12”

Yes I use the 12” on every size tank. I do have a full set of tools but they are nice to have and not necessary.

 

[Jeff Miotke]

I have also had wonderful experience shopping from Sevenports, great customer service and products, great prices and tank sizes and shipped in bulletproof packaging.. Really feeds the MTS habit

Haha imagine my surprise then, scrolling through their sale items last week

View attachment 9566

Miotke Black.. does that come in a turtleneck? Like Steve Jobs?

Hah yea that was an honor along with them surprising me with one!

 

[Naturescapes_Rocco]

These spring scissors have been game-changing for me. Amazing for small tanks/precise trimming, but their best use in large tanks is for plant pre:
Cutting old emersed-grown roots, emersed-grown leaves, trimming damaged leaves, splitting rhizomes, making small plugs of grass, etc.

My hands used to legit cramp with anything else, but I consider these a critical part of my kit now. Purchased some last year, and another set just days ago since I broke one of them messing around with the spring lol. But for $8, non-rusting sharp stainless steel spring scissors are SO worth it!

 

[HarryL]

Has anyone tried the tools from Netlea? How do they compare to other brands? I';ve been using some non branded scissor and pinsettes that are getting increasingly frustrating to use. I'm thinking they may be of great value at $7 each for what I can get them at.