# Can anyone recommend some extra long tweezers?



## Wookii (9 Jan 2020)

Title speaks for itself guys, but I'm after some extra long tweezers, as my standard 300mm ones are struggling in some of the harder to reach areas of my aquarium.

I could do with some around 450mm long, but still staying fairly light and fine. I did order some of these from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B019OSK364/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But they weighed about 2 kilos and could have crush walnuts! I need something with the added length (yes, I know, feel free to insert pun of choice), but maintaining the delicacy of standard planting tweezers.

Any suggestions?


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## ian_m (9 Jan 2020)

I to bought a large set of tweezers but found them too heavy to use delicately and in the you ended up getting just as wet as using a small pair.

I now use something like these for difficult to reach or mid week emergency replants.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07M76HXW5/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_541fEbJ530VN0

Still the best is my Fluval tweezers and a log wet arm.


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## Zeus. (9 Jan 2020)

Dont have any which are 450mm long but I do a few pairs 300mm and one stands out head and shoulders above the rest Do!Aqua aka ADA


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## Wookii (9 Jan 2020)

ian_m said:


> I to bought a large set of tweezers but found them too heavy to use delicately and in the you ended up getting just as wet as using a small pair.
> 
> I now use something like these for difficult to reach or mid week emergency replants.
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07M76HXW5/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_541fEbJ530VN0
> ...



Thanks Ian. I used to have a pair of those long plastic scissors - it’s one of the items that didn’t survive the 16 year storage. I need the tweezers more for replanting of delegate stems though, I already have some nice JBL scissors that work well.

Which Fluval tweezers is it that you are referring to?


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## Wookii (9 Jan 2020)

Zeus. said:


> Dont have any which are 450mm long but I do a few pairs 300mm and one stands out head and shoulders above the rest Do!Aqua aka ADA



My current tweezers were just part of a cheap multi-tool set from Amazon. Is there really that much difference with the ADA’s? I do find planting with my existing tweezers frustrating on occasion, as they seem to pull stems back out of the soil as you pull the tweezers out.


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## Zeus. (12 Jan 2020)

Spot the difference









The cost of one cost more than all the others put together plus I got other scaping scissors with them as well. I only use the  ADAs ones even if the others are in front of me and have to walk to other room to get them( second down top pic and 10:55 second pic) as they are easier to use all round.


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## zozo (12 Jan 2020)

Look for culinary tweezers 

about 9" or 12" or 15"

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0819M11S7/ref=psdc_289772_t2_B0000C8T92?th=1

Tho they are a tad more Heavy-duty material, obviously, for yanking steaks around in the fry pan.


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## Ed Wiser (12 Jan 2020)

Good tools are noticed when they are in your hand and using them. If starting out get a simple pair. If you enjoy the hobby invest in a pair of ADA tools there is a difference in your hand and use.


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## Wookii (13 Jan 2020)

zozo said:


> Look for culinary tweezers
> 
> about 9" or 12" or 15"
> 
> ...



Thanks Marcel, it was the h'heavy duty' nature of the ones I had from Amazon that were the issue, I kind of need them fine, but long - longer that 15", more like 18". However I'm beginning to suspect 'fine' and 'long' might prove to be mutually exclusive.


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## Wookii (13 Jan 2020)

Zeus. said:


> Spot the difference
> 
> View attachment 130671
> View attachment 130672
> ...





Ed Wiser said:


> Good tools are noticed when they are in your hand and using them. If starting out get a simple pair. If you enjoy the hobby invest in a pair of ADA tools there is a difference in your hand and use.



Thanks guys, I have ordered a set of ADA Pinsettes, so I'll see how I get on. They still wont give me the reach I was hoping for, as they max out at 300mm, but hopefully they will prevent some of the annoyance I'm experiencing when using the current tweezers pulling planted plantlets and stem back out.


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## zozo (13 Jan 2020)

Wookii said:


> Thanks Marcel, it was the h'heavy duty' nature of the ones I had from Amazon that were the issue, I kind of need them fine, but long - longer that 15", more like 18". However I'm beginning to suspect 'fine' and 'long' might prove to be mutually exclusive.



I've ordered one from Germany yesterday.. 35cm long, i let you know how heavy duty it is. 

They go up to 60cm.

https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B0...in_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&language=en_GB&psc=1

Tho i can not know how this compares with an 18" version.


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## Wookii (13 Jan 2020)

zozo said:


> I've ordered one from Germany yesterday.. 35cm long, i let you know how heavy duty it is.
> 
> They go up to 60cm.
> 
> ...



Thanks, yes, let me know. I suspect they'll be like the 'walnut crusher' I also had off Amazon, but hopefully not!


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## zozo (13 Jan 2020)

I have yet no idea.. But i at 18" long, some material strength is required to get some grip at the end. Then you would need a pair made from a very high-quality Titanium or something. Maybe in the Laboratory or surgical equipment? But than again the price will knock you off i guess.


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## Iain Sutherland (13 Jan 2020)

Wookii said:


> , but hopefully they will prevent some of the annoyance I'm experiencing when using the current tweezers pulling planted plantlets and stem back out.



There is a knack to it...
Grip plants at 45 degrees, push straight down with tweezers at 45, pull out at 45 degrees.
If you push straight down and pull out straight up then you will always get a good amount either pull out or float when filling if your doing initial planting.  

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


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## Iain Sutherland (13 Jan 2020)

And yes there is a huge difference in quality tools. If your staying in the hobby long term it's well worth investing. Diesnt have to be ADA, tropica stuff is good. Amazon tools are generally toilet! Especially scissors, cheap stuff is good for RSI 

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


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## Wookii (13 Jan 2020)

Iain Sutherland said:


> There is a knack to it...
> Grip plants at 45 degrees, push straight down with tweezers at 45, pull out at 45 degrees.
> If you push straight down and pull out straight up then you will always get a good amount either pull out or float when filling if your doing initial planting.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk



Thanks Iain - yep, that is generally how I try and do it, but I’ve shot myself in the foot a little by using a bit too much hardscape and making some areas a little too tight to access, which means I can only get in vertically. Another lesson learned.


Anyway, I’ve gone ahead and ordered some of the 300mm ADA Pinsettes, so they’ll be 30mm longer than my existing ones - hopefully that will help.


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## Geoffrey Rea (13 Jan 2020)

ADA pinsettes and scissors.... don’t touch any of the other tools that are in the house (and tried the lot). Also cured my Tourette’s as well 

It’s not even about brand. Certain JBL tools can be great also. It’s the consistency of manufacturing that the ADA price tag pays for. If anyone else had that consistency I’d endorse them just as quickly... still waiting though.


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## Wookii (16 Jan 2020)

Geoffrey Rea said:


> ADA pinsettes and scissors.... don’t touch any of the other tools that are in the house (and tried the lot). Also cured my Tourette’s as well
> 
> It’s not even about brand. Certain JBL tools can be great also. It’s the consistency of manufacturing that the ADA price tag pays for. If anyone else had that consistency I’d endorse them just as quickly... still waiting though.



Thanks Geoff - I have actually sprung (pun intended!) for the ADA curved spring scissors too - so much for sticking to budget! They have arrived, and are very good indeed. I'm still waiting on the pinsettes to be delivered!


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## zozo (17 Jan 2020)

Wookii said:


> Thanks, yes, let me know. I suspect they'll be like the 'walnut crusher' I also had off Amazon, but hopefully not!



It arrived today and compared to the regular 25cm aquascaping tweezers this 35cm kitchen tong looks like a nutcracker it's 4 times the weight. Then i cannot imagine the 60cm version.


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## Jayefc1 (22 Jan 2020)

Have to.agree with @Geoffrey Rea there is no tools like the ADA ones IMO best to get them as birthday and Christmas prezzies build up what you need 

J


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## Aqua sobriquet (22 Jan 2020)

I bought “May Aquarium Tweezers 35cm Long” from Amazon for £13.15 and find them easy to use.


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## Wookii (24 Jan 2020)

Well my 30cm ADA Tweezers have finally arrived.

I have to be honest and admit that I did wonder if you guys might be over-egging just how good things were compared to the cheapo ones off Amazon.

Good god was I wrong! I’ve just trimmed and replanted about 20 stems, not one floated back at me - it was soooo much easier than the old tweezers. If I owned a hat, I’d eat it!


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## Ed Wiser (24 Jan 2020)

As with any good tool. Working with them is a pleasure. I worked with tools my whole life. I learned that buying a good tool makes the job so much easier. A cheap tool you spend most of your time fighting the tool and not doing the work.


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## BarryH (4 Feb 2020)

Wookii said:


> Title speaks for itself guys, but I'm after some extra long tweezers, as my standard 300mm ones are struggling in some of the harder to reach areas of my aquarium.
> 
> I could do with some around 450mm long, but still staying fairly light and fine. I did order some of these from Amazon:
> 
> ...


I thought to myself, they can never be that heavy, so I ordered a pair. THEY ARE THAT HEAVY, and they've been returned.


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## Andrew T (6 Feb 2020)

https://www.amazon.com/U-P-Aqua-D-6...5VEWD28#aw-udpv3-customer-reviews_feature_div
Anyone tried these up aqua brand? Seems like they’re getting great reviews and they have a very nice tip for planting although they’re only about 10 inches or so....


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## BarryH (15 Apr 2020)

I tried again with the extra long tweezers and found the FEITA branded ones on Amazon. They're 15" long and no where near as heavy as the ones I had before. They're quite slippy as there was no grip on the outer polished surface. I scratched a few lines with a scalpel and that made a good gripping surface. All in all, not to bad and great value too.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/FEITA-Extra-Long-15inch-Tweezer-Stainless/dp/B07KFNSL7R/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?dchild=1&keywords=FEITA+Extra-Long+15inch/380mm+Tweezer+Tongs+Stainless+Steel+-+Mega+Reptile+Feeding+Tweezers&qid=1586951214&sr=8-1-fkmr0


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## Hudson (15 Apr 2020)

Never tried the ADA stuff as the price makes my eyes water.

I use surgical equipment, quality is fantastic and the scissors are super sharp 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/m.html?_...from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=&_sacat=1281


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## jkh13 (18 Apr 2020)

JBL ones are also good, I have both ADA and JBL, comparable quality. Both brands are pretty expensive though...


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## Ray (25 Jun 2020)

So ADA tweezer owners: what size should I get for nano tank work?  Do I just get L or XL (27 or 30cm) so I can reach anywhere in the tank without getting my hand wet, or will I find I have more finesse with the S or  M (16 or 21cm)?

Also has anyone got both ADA and Tropica/Dennerle tweezers and can advise if one can tell the difference?  I‘d like to save money but don’t want to get the cheaper option, be unhappy and have to upgrade (I already have a set of eBay tools that are barely up to the job).


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## Wookii (25 Jun 2020)

Ray said:


> So ADA tweezer owners: what size should I get for nano tank work?  Do I just get L or XL (27 or 30cm) so I can reach anywhere in the tank without getting my hand wet, or will I find I have more finesse with the S or  M (16 or 21cm)?
> 
> Also has anyone got both ADA and Tropica/Dennerle tweezers and can advise if one can tell the difference?  I‘d like to save money but don’t want to get the cheaper option, be unhappy and have to upgrade (I already have a set of eBay tools that are barely up to the job).



I'll admit to previously being a sceptic on the expensive ADA tools, but I've since become a convert. The 30cm Pro Pinsettes that I bought are a pleasure to use, though I haven't compared them to JBL and Tropica variants, they were infinitely better than the cheap Amazon multi-tool set I had previously.

I also recently stumped up for a pair of the 32cm ADA Pro-Scissors Nude (no jokes about Pro-Nudes ), and they are superb, significantly better than the JBL S30 Curved scissors that I had previously and always felt a bit cumbersome.

As for long vs short tweezers, I'll let someone more experienced than me answer that, though if you only want to buy one pair I can't think of anything that can't be done with the 30cm pinsettes I have.


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## Ray (2 Jul 2020)

So because I am in nano land I got the ADA size M (21cm) tweezers and the spring scissors. Wow!

Everything I plant just goes in exactly where I want it and stays there. With the scissors I can snip one single leaf without effort. Verdict: expensive but recommended.


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