What works best for pruning and vacuuming question

[Jeff1192]

This may be a dumb question but what do you guys recommend using for pruning plants? Do you just use regular scissors or is there something better?

And while I'm asking plant questions, is there a trick for vacuuming the heavily planted areas of a tank so that you're not pulling the plants out of the substrate? I'm hoping this will get better once my plants are more established and have more roots. However, right now they obviously get pulled up quite easily (alot of them are trimmings that I got a couple of weeks ago).

Thanks,

Jeff

[BigDaddy]

I have a pair of 12 inch scissors with a curved tip.  Makes it a bit easier to get at hard to reach places without having to go in up to my elbow. 

Don't heavily vacuum those areas is the immediate answer.  The mulm that builds up is natural fertilizer anyway, and frankly if your plants are dense enough.. just a wave in their general direction is usually enough to stir up any detritus you'll want to vacuum.

[Jeff1192]

Where did you find curved scissors that long? That seems like the perfect solution to me but I've never seen curved ones that long.

Jeff

[Aquaviewer]

Where did you find curved scissors that long? That seems like the perfect solution to me but I've never seen curved ones that long.

Jeff

http://azgardens.com/newtools2.php

[Jeff1192]

Thanks for the link.

Jeff

[BigDaddy]

You can find cheaper on eBay

[busdriver]

You can also find them in a medical supply store, but they probably are expensive.

[dan2x38]

Takes a bit longer but I use a smaller diameter vacuum tube to get between my plants I no longer go very deep though...