Plant Pruning

Do you folks have special tools to prune your aquarium plants,
or do you use things you picked up at a non-lfs?

I see leaves dying on the plant in my 10-gallon aquarium and
I'd like to cut them off and take them out without disturbing
the roots (and possibly pulling the plant up). What should I
use? Would a normal pair of scissors do the job?

Thanks,
--
8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail)
~~~~~~
"I reserve the absolute right to be smarter
today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson

http://www.suzanne-eckhardt.com/
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Hi, I recently saw a device in Petsmart. It had a planting device on
one end and a scissor type contraption on the other. Must admit I just
have a pair of scissors that I only use for the tank. In saying that,
I have had no luck with plants so I'm probably not the best person to
ask. I'm going to try and remedy this with my 10g when its up and
running.

Not sure how much the device was in Petsmart. Sorry

Mellie

Mellie101 wrote:
Hi, I recently saw a device in Petsmart. It had a planting device on
one end and a scissor type contraption on the other. Must admit I just
have a pair of scissors that I only use for the tank. In saying that,
I have had no luck with plants so I'm probably not the best person to
ask. I'm going to try and remedy this with my 10g when its up and
running.

Not sure how much the device was in Petsmart. Sorry

Mellie


I've got one of those....it's still in the cupboard under the tank
though (bought it around a month ago) - I guess one day it'll come
out....it's a Marina Multi-Tool....

Gill

On Mon, 17 Apr 2006 12:16:06 GMT, Suzie-Q
wrote:

Do you folks have special tools to prune your aquarium plants,
or do you use things you picked up at a non-lfs?

I see leaves dying on the plant in my 10-gallon aquarium and
I'd like to cut them off and take them out without disturbing
the roots (and possibly pulling the plant up). What should I
use? Would a normal pair of scissors do the job?

Thanks,
I use scissors. And I hide them so they don't disappear when I need
them.

-- Mister Gardener

On Mon, 17 Apr 2006 14:03:44 +0100, Gill Passman
wrote:

Mellie101 wrote:
Hi, I recently saw a device in Petsmart. It had a planting device on
one end and a scissor type contraption on the other. Must admit I just
have a pair of scissors that I only use for the tank. In saying that,
I have had no luck with plants so I'm probably not the best person to
ask. I'm going to try and remedy this with my 10g when its up and
running.

Not sure how much the device was in Petsmart. Sorry

Mellie


I've got one of those....it's still in the cupboard under the tank
though (bought it around a month ago) - I guess one day it'll come
out....it's a Marina Multi-Tool....

Gill
That would make sense in your monster sized tank. Unless you don
S.C.U.B.A. gear and dive in with your scissors.

-- Mister Gardener

Hi..

one day it'll come out....it's a Marina Multi-Tool....

A _Marina_ Multi-Tool? In your conservatory? Hope it's no
Mari*uana Multi-Tool? ;-))
--
cu
Marco

Marco Schwarz wrote:
Hi..


one day it'll come out....it's a Marina Multi-Tool....


A _Marina_ Multi-Tool? In your conservatory? Hope it's no
Mari*uana Multi-Tool? ;-))


Ha, ha...

"Suzie-Q" wrote in message
...
Do you folks have special tools to prune your aquarium plants,
or do you use things you picked up at a non-lfs?

I see leaves dying on the plant in my 10-gallon aquarium and
I'd like to cut them off and take them out without disturbing
the roots (and possibly pulling the plant up). What should I
use? Would a normal pair of scissors do the job?

Thanks,
--
8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail)

I have one of those plant pruning thingies, which
I don't use. Normally I just snip leaves off with
my thumbnail (well rinsed hands, of course).
Dedicated (to fish tank use) scissors should work
just fine.

Gail

On Mon, 17 Apr 2006 16:06:41 +0200, Marco Schwarz
wrote:

Hi..

one day it'll come out....it's a Marina Multi-Tool....

A _Marina_ Multi-Tool? In your conservatory? Hope it's no
Mari*uana Multi-Tool? ;-))

Why do you hope not? It could take care of two stoneds at one time.

I think I'll skip the signature on this one.

Trevor Stenson wrote:
In article ,
Mister Gardener wrote:


On Mon, 17 Apr 2006 16:06:41 +0200, Marco Schwarz
wrote:


Hi..


one day it'll come out....it's a Marina Multi-Tool....

A _Marina_ Multi-Tool? In your conservatory? Hope it's no
Mari*uana Multi-Tool? ;-))

Why do you hope not? It could take care of two stoneds at one time.

I think I'll skip the signature on this one.


I find that if I don't want to stick in my hands, scissors work the
best.

If I have a lot of pruning to get at in hard to get at places, then some
find a a mulitool better, disturbing the tank less


But sometimes why not use both tools - Something to grasp the plant or
stem, and something to cut it?


I find this helpful when their are a few leaves/plants I want to trim
and it is in a densely planted area. I find using my "multitool"
(which has a plant grabber not scissors on one end) to isolate or push
the stem so it is easy to get at, and then I trimming it with dedicated
tank scissors I find it works well. It also helps one from uprooting a
plant.

Otherwise it can be frustrating, and I cut healthy leaves off by
mistake. This has worked great for my amazon swords whose stems are
relatively hard to cut. After trimming of dead of dying leaves the
plants can look a little sparse. But in a few days they make a big
comeback with many new leaves and the others growing in size. Pruning
works in my experience just as it is supposed to with house plants.
Plus dead or dying leaves can be just more unwanted rotting waste.

Disclamer: The two tool technique is not advised if you are using a
Mari*uana Multi-tool

TS


One of the reasons the tool hasn't come out is I prefer the hands on
approach (steady Mr Gardener). I take the same approach in my garden
tending to avoid garden gloves except in prickly situations...

I tend to pinch off the dead leaves...

Gill

Disclaimer....I use neither...