Review ~ ADA Layout Tools
I got my ADA layout tools from www.adgshop.com. I get all my ADA supplies from Jeff at ADG. After using the ADA aquascaping tools for a year or so I feel like I have enough practical experience with the tools to update my review on the ADA layout tools. Below I will explain what I like and what I dislike about the ADA aquascaping tools. I will break it down for each tool explaining the pros and cons of the ADA layout tools and then give a general overview of the value that you get when you get your hands on the ADA aquascaping tools. So let's get right into a the review of the ADA layout tools.
Pro-Scissors L – These are very long scissors. The idea is to use these for tanks that are very high or if you have short arms.
Pros
- The blade is pointed allowing for very specific cutting which is great for pruning specific leaves or stems out of a group of plants
- The length is great for getting down into those stem systems and getting the plants you need
Cons
- These things are so flimsy that they really couldn't cut anything thicker then a standar stem plant. The blades literally bend around anubias rhizomes when you try to cut them.
- Pricey scissor to be pretty much useless.
Value - Rated 1-5 (5 is the best)
Price:2
Constuction:2
Value:1
Pro-Scissors M – I would consider these scissors to be the work horse of all my tools, perhaps only the Pro-Pincettes L with Grip will receive more use. Unfortunately, these scissors would replace my trusty 11” stainless steel scissors that had been with me for years.
Pros
- The blade is pointed allowing for very specific cutting which is great for pruning specific leaves or stems out of a group of plants
- The scissors are light weight and easy on the hands which helps greatly in extending pruning sessions
- Blades are very sharp!!! Gives a super clean cut
- The length is great for getting down into those stem systems and getting the plants you need
Cons
- When the scissors are open all the way, the 1 inch area of the 3” blade closest to the pivot screw is pretty inefficient because the blades do not touch
- If you have big hands like I do, the scissors open too wide and the cut is not as precise. You will have to close the scissor and make your cuts using the area of the scissor blade closer to the tip
- Pricey scissor to have this oversite in engineering
Value - Rated 1-5 (5 is the best)
Price:3
Constuction:3
Value:3
Pro Scissors 'Nude' – This is a really cool scissor. It has a bent handle and a curved blade for trimming horizontally.
Pros
- Helpful for trimming horizontal plants. The curved blade combined with the long bent handle make this tool very effect for this type of pruning.
Cons
- It is a pricey tool
- The finger holes are too small for my fingers. This makes long periods of use almost imposible
Value - Rated 1-5 (5 is the best)
Price:3
Constuction:4
Value:3
Pincettes L – These are tweezers that are for the plants that require meticulous planting approaches. This tweezer excels in planting small delicate plants like Eleocharis acicularis, Hemianthus callitrichoides, and Glossostigma elatinoides.
Pros
- The tip of the tweezer is very thin and enables you to plant small roots without disturbing the roots around. This tweezer addresses the problem of pulling the plant out with the tweezer after you plant
- The compression resistance is perfect for meticulous work
Cons
- This is not a tweezer for heavy duty planting. It is not designed for it, so I wouldn’t consider that a con, however I wanted to make it clear that if you are looking for one tweezer to do all, this is not the tweezer
Value - Rated 1-5 (5 is the best)
Price:3
Constuction:4
Value:3
Pro-Pincettes L with Grip – This is your everyday heavy duty tweezer. This thing has a grip on it and large area for holding plants. This is the nicest tweezer I have used.
Pros
- Great all purpose tweezer
- Hand grips to prevent slipping during prolonged planting sessions.
- Large area for grabbing plants
- Perfect flex so that the plants are held securely but not to tight as to damage the plants
Cons
- Price
Value - Rated 1-5 (5 is the best)
Price:3
Constuction:4
Value:3
Sand Flattener – Lightweight spatula that is great for smoothing substrate.
Pros
- Two sides with different size spatulas to handle different applications
Cons
- This thing is worthless for anything other then fine movement. If you need to move anything that is more then a few grains of substrate you will need to use something else.
Value - Rated 1-5 (5 is the best)
Price:2
Constuction:1
Value:1
Summary
In this case, we have an example of over-priced ADA goods that are not worth the price you pay. I have been using the ADA layout tools for a year or so now and while they are certainly holding up, they are no way worth the double to triple that you have to pay for them.
As a matter of fact, I miss my old scissors that were sharper and better made. If you want to know where to get them, email me. I only know one place to get them and that place is the worst online vendor of all, but they do have nice scissors!!
I hope this review of the ADA aquascaping tools was helpful for you. If you have any questions, please contact me at
Have fun!!
jB
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