Planting Tweezers / Pinsette for fine roots and plants

[nabokovfan87]

Hey Everyone,

I'm sort of at an impasse because I desperately need a good pair of planting tweezers.  The ones I have aren't the best quality or simply don't fit the use case.  I have the standard "curved" (L-Shaped) tweezers that are very common but often cheaply made.  The hold on them isn't great and when trying to grasp small plants they simply don't work well.  I have had several times this week holding a plant in my fingers and trying to grasp the roots and that leads to the roots just passing right through the metal. 

I've tried to ensure the ends of the tweezers align, touch, and that they should work properly.  I have also tried to squeeze hard and hold the teeth closed firmly which can result in the plant being literally crushed because of how much force that takes, especially for fine plants and very small clippings.  It's like trying to use a meat cleaver instead of scalpel sometimes.

The other ones I have are the fluval straight ones.  Very nice, good quality, but they have giant red tips on the end and that means nothing holds well. It's not a flat contact and it's not the angled shape that makes things a bit easier to control with small plants.  The shape / size of the tips as well tend to crush rather than hold. 

I've looked around online, I want to find something decent because when you're talking $30-50 for one pair of tweezers I would hope there isn't any issues.  I can't test or use them because I'm stuck ordering online. 

What are your experiences and which ones do you find work well for this type of a use case?

[JoeQ]

On 10/15/2022 at 7:26 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Hey Everyone,

I'm sort of at an impasse because I desperately need a good pair of planting tweezers.  The ones I have aren't the best quality or simply don't fit the use case.  I have the standard "curved" (L-Shaped) tweezers that are very common but often cheaply made.  The hold on them isn't great and when trying to grasp small plants they simply don't work well.  I have had several times this week holding a plant in my fingers and trying to grasp the roots and that leads to the roots just passing right through the metal. 

I've tried to ensure the ends of the tweezers align, touch, and that they should work properly.  I have also tried to squeeze hard and hold the teeth closed firmly which can result in the plant being literally crushed because of how much force that takes, especially for fine plants and very small clippings.  It's like trying to use a meat cleaver instead of scalpel sometimes.

The other ones I have are the fluval straight ones.  Very nice, good quality, but they have giant red tips on the end and that means nothing holds well. It's not a flat contact and it's not the angled shape that makes things a bit easier to control with small plants.  The shape / size of the tips as well tend to crush rather than hold. 

I've looked around online, I want to find something decent because when you're talking $30-50 for one pair of tweezers I would hope there isn't any issues.  I can't test or use them because I'm stuck ordering online. 

What are your experiences and which ones do you find work well for this type of a use case?

For fine stuff I like the aquarium coops L-shaped planting tool, my straight ones are bigger and Tbh, nicer, but I do not know the brand. As for trying with an easy return policy, check out the reptile feeding tonges at petsmart , they will practically take anything back!

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/15/2022 at 5:18 PM, JoeQ said:

For fine stuff I like the aquarium coops L-shaped planting tool, my straight ones are bigger and Tbh, nicer, but I do not know the brand.

I appreciate it. I do have the ACO ones. I'm not sure why, local shops here just don't carry the L shaped ones.

I do struggle with them for fine plants, especially smaller ones. Trying to pick algae and stuff it just runs right through the tips. I have seen similar issues reported in the reviews on the store page which suggested trying to make sure the ends of the tweezers weren't bent.

[Fish Folk]

I use the Fluval ones. Maybe mine are older… no red tips…

But truth be told, I usually use my fingers. I agree, with fine roots & shoots, too much pressure will damage the plants.

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/15/2022 at 5:31 PM, Fish Folk said:

I use the Fluval ones. Maybe mine are older… no red tips…

I saw these. I don't even see them available online.  I ordered a bunch of fluval aquascaping stuff recently.  All they had was the red ones 😞 .

I see UNS has some fine ones that aren't too crazy expensive.  Tropica I think might have some that I can get.  For whatever reason Seachem just doesn't want customers to be able to purchase things.

I have contemplated removing the red tips just to try to have something. 

And yeah.... right there with you.  I end up using my hands, but for the small stuff (pieces that break off a stem when trying to pull algae, etc) it's so hard to do it that way depending on the substrate.

[PerceptivePesce]

Ha! Your thread is right on time! I was thinking about making a thread to ask about scaping tools 👍

[PerceptivePesce]

These pikstik tongs look neat and also gimmick-y.  Yall know if they're any good?

https://pikstik.com/collections/aquatongs

[JoeQ]

On 10/16/2022 at 3:18 PM, PerceptivePesce said:

These pikstik tongs look neat and also gimmick-y.  Yall know if they're any good?

https://pikstik.com/collections/aquatongs

Pssssst, you can get one of them grabbers (same thing) at most dollar  stores for a lot cheaper! 🤣

Edited October 16, 2022 by JoeQ
Typeo

[PerceptivePesce]

On 10/16/2022 at 2:22 PM, JoeQ said:

Pssssst, you can get one of them grabbers (same thing) at most dollar  stores for a lot cheaper! 🤣

I have some harbor freight grabbers, but they probably fall apart if you even think about using them in an aquarium. 

[JoeQ]

On 10/16/2022 at 3:29 PM, PerceptivePesce said:

I have some harbor freight grabbers, but they probably fall apart if you even think about using them in an aquarium. 

Never know till you try, send pictures of your grabber created scape! 🤣

[PerceptivePesce]

On 10/16/2022 at 2:50 PM, JoeQ said:

Never know till you try, send pictures of your grabber created scape! 🤣

These kitchen tongs are great for picking up all those rocks with plants glued to them. 😁

@nabokovfan87Did you ever find the pinsettes you were looking for?

[JoeQ]

On 11/15/2022 at 5:31 PM, PerceptivePesce said:

These kitchen tongs are great for picking up all those rocks with plants glued to them. 😁

@nabokovfan87Did you ever find the pinsettes you were looking for?

You used grilling tongs? Thats great!

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/15/2022 at 2:31 PM, PerceptivePesce said:

@nabokovfan87Did you ever find the pinsettes you were looking for?

Out of stock.  I got slammed with a bunch of junk on the home side of things and just haven't had a chance to really find anything.  Currently treating sick fish and stuff.  I am definitely still frustrated, will probably make a GIF or something to show the issue I'm having.  I have learned to use the very tip of the tweezers at this point.

[JettsPapa]

I like these:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088C13CRK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1.  They're 15" long, so almost 50% longer than the standard ones, and they seem to be well built.  The ends fit together well enough to grab and remove hair algae.

[redfish]

I have similar set like @Pepere posted but it's the 15inch version like @JettsPapa mentions.   Aquarium Aquascape Tools Kit, Long 15 Inch Stainless Steel Aquatic Plants Tools.

I'm not sure if I'm missing anything a better set would offer either but I've been happy with them so far. 

[Rita]

I have similar issues with my aquascaping kit I bought online. It certainly doesn't seem like cheap material, but not great for planting and inserting root tabs. I've all but given up and just resorted to using my fingers. I'm interested if anyone has found something magical to use! 😃

[Minanora]

I wish mine had a brand on them. I got mine from a mom-pop online shop for 6$ that has since closed. 😭 I didn't realize how nice mine are, I need to appreciate them more.

For my super fine stems, I wrap them in leaves of other plants to hold in the tweezers. Or use bits of wet paper towel. Usually paper towel bits at this point I guess. It's grippy and protects the plant.

I just stick tiny pieces on my tweezers and then grab the stems. Whole lot goes into the soil.

[JJenna]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CGCWL36/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1 

I like the straight tweezer, I can get a firm hold of the plant without feeling I'm crushing the roots

 

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/21/2022 at 6:43 AM, Minanora said:

I wish mine had a brand on them. I got mine from a mom-pop online shop for 6$ that has since closed. 😭 I didn't realize how nice mine are, I need to appreciate them more.

For my super fine stems, I wrap them in leaves of other plants to hold in the tweezers. Or use bits of wet paper towel. Usually paper towel bits at this point I guess. It's grippy and protects the plant.

I just stick tiny pieces on my tweezers and then grab the stems. Whole lot goes into the soil.

Literally just waiting for the "fancy" ones to come in stock. The color I want (all my stuff is black or darker) has been out for a while.

I can't say I'll be happier, but I still spend every morning replanting things. It's frustrating. I popped in root tabs and hopefully things take hold or I'm going to end up with plant weights at this point.

We'll see what happens when they turn up.

Another thing I've heard for the "budget" options is that the welds on the back mean they don't last or have good tension. Which potentially explains my struggle and reason for the original post. I'll be very interested to compare and looking forward to seeing things once I can get my hands on them and test the tools side by side.

I wish I could find some generic fluval or seachem tools to add to the pile for comparison, but yeah.... Why seachem gates their stuff I won't ever understand. It's not my fault I don't have a local shop.

[Odd Duck]

When I’m planting very small plants, I use some old, rather worn, surgical thumb forceps (fancy term for tweezers) called Brown-Adson Forceps.  They aren’t long but they give me better control with tiny plants like from a tissue culture.  I use them to glue up tiny fernlets or small buces, too.  Even small Anubias.  I have some El Cheapo, extra long, planting forceps for planting bigger plants, going in deeper tanks, or picking out various things from tanks when I don’t want in up to my armpit.  The long ones are pretty worthless for removing hair algae unless it’s very long and I can swirl it around them a bunch.  I don’t often have hair algae that long, though.  That’s a seriously rough month at work about 3-4 weeks after starting a tank level of hair algae right there.  A toothbrush works better for swirling and grabbing hair algae.  Way cheaper to buy, too.

You can buy some pretty cheap Brown-Adson’s from Amazon but might want to dull the teeth ever so slightly so they don’t pierce plant tissue.  Gripping flesh and gripping plants don’t have quite the same requirements.  Running a bit of very fine sand paper over the tips would likely be all you need to do.  Cheap ones might not line up perfectly and may need some adjustment when you get them.

Edited November 22, 2022 by Odd Duck
Fix typo created by autocorrect. 🤦🏻‍♀️

[PerceptivePesce]

I think I have hair algae in my newbie tank. It's not much, right now. It's kind of "pretty" waving in the current 😄

[Odd Duck]

On 11/22/2022 at 8:34 PM, PerceptivePesce said:

I think I have hair algae in my newbie tank. It's not much, right now. It's kind of "pretty" waving in the current 😄

It’s sneaky that way.  Then it takes over completely once you let your guard down.

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/15/2022 at 5:31 PM, Fish Folk said:

sooooooo

I'm a derp.

I totally pulled off and it is intented for the tips of these to be able to be removed.  I need to bend mind a little bit to get better grip.  Did you bend yours at all?  Mine only touch at the very end of the tips and not along the length of the "claw".

[Fish Folk]

On 5/2/2023 at 2:10 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

sooooooo

I'm a derp.

I totally pulled off and it is intented for the tips of these to be able to be removed.  I need to bend mind a little bit to get better grip.  Did you bend yours at all?  Mine only touch at the very end of the tips and not along the length of the "claw".

With mine, just the tips touch. You need to squeeze pretty hard to get more of the metal tips to touch all the way. I think that's an intentional design.

[nabokovfan87]

On 5/1/2023 at 11:51 PM, Fish Folk said:

With mine, just the tips touch. You need to squeeze pretty hard to get more of the metal tips to touch all the way. I think that's an intentional design.

I'll mod mine tomorrow, try to get a decent photo to share.

I may take a Dremel to my ACO ones to make the end of them fine tip. I have them held together with a rubber band so I'm up for any sort of mod on them to help me with planting.