I grew up to a saying that if you stole a piece of money plant and it grew and flourished in your house you would prosper and get rich. So its a plant most houses had and its a hardy plant so we had a few of them at home too.
Some months back in an attempt to add some green to my house, Mom got me a cutting to grow in a bottle. Now that the plant has grown at bit and has settled into the bottle, I got down to do some reading about it.
Some things I didn't know about the money plant -
- The scientific name for the Money Plant is Epipremnum aureum or Scindapsus aureus.
- It is found from Northern Australia through Malaysia and Indonesia into China, Japan and India.
- It flowers in the wild.
- The sap of the money plant is poisonous if consumed. The presence of insoluble raphides make it toxic to dogs, cats and children. Symptoms may include oral irritation, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing. I need to keep it out of reach of the dogs.
- It has even caused enough ecological damage to be listed on the USDA Florida Exotic Pest Control Council list 1999 as an invasive species.
- Other names of the money plant are - Australian native monstera, centipede tongavine, devil's ivy, golden pothos, hunter's robe, ivy arum, silver vine, Solomon Islands ivy and taro vine.
- Money Plant is efficient at removing indoor pollutants such as formaldehyde, xylene, and benzene.
- It can be used in aquariums, by placing it on top of the aquarium and allowing the roots to grow in the water. The plant absorbs many nitrates and uses them for growth.
Some I didn't know but had figured out over time -
- The money plant is a hardy plant and its leaves last longer that most other plants.
- It grows in both soil and water but once planted the medium can't be changed.
- The simplest way to get a new plant is to take a cutting off an existing plant and planting it into soil or water.
- Water grown money plants are smaller and more slender that soil ones.
- The first couple of weeks require constant changing of water. As the plant settles-in the die-off causes a lot of foul smell.
- The water tends to stay clear longer after the roots have settled in.
Notes to myself from around the internet to help me keep my plant healthy -
Temperature - Requires temperatures between 15-30deg C, below 10deg the leaves develop spots and turn yellow.
Sunlight - Leaves turning yellow and shedding is a sign of excessive sunlight. Money plants don't like too much heavy sunlight so in summer you could place a wet cloth above it and put some ice cubes in the plant in the afternoon.
Watering - It is advised to change water every 2-3 days. (I did this in the initial weeks but now the plant has settled so have reduced the change to once in a week or two based on water quality.)
Update 10/07/'15: After losing my first plant to a virus and taking care of 3 new cuttings for a year now, I'd add that after the plant has settled with a good number of roots and if the water quality is good and doesn't get messy, the change of water could be done once a month. If the water is clean, you need to change just half the water. If it looks dirty and has a lot of debris, rinse the bottle and change the water completely.
Gel - I have to try gel out for my bottled money plant. Theoretically the gel should absorb the water and the plant can take from it as and when required. I'll have to top up water every week or so but it solves any mosquito problems. That said I'm not sure if this would work for a water grown plant.
Trimming - New leaves grow out from the tips of the creeper. Trimming side shoots will give a single long stem or cutting off the tip will encourage side growth to give a more fuller plant. Also as the plant is growing I keeping pushing it back into the bottle a little off and on. That way the nodes that touch the water will give out roots and over time I will be able to snip off the bottom roots as they start to rot without affecting the plant much.
Fertiliser - It can survive on naturally found salts in water and does not require addition of nutrients to the water. But any nitrate base fertiliser can be used. A weak solution of liquid fertiliser to be added into the water keeping in mind to add it late evening because in strong sunlight the fertiliser can cause root burn. (Don't add fertiliser to newly cut or trimmed plants as fertiliser can damage the plant. Roots and leaves have different types of fertilisers.)
Pesticide - The money plant does not attract a lot of pests however it sees its fair share of ants and mosquitoes. A water based household insect spray like Sheltox would get rid of the ants and mosquitoes. ( I tend to use narrow necked and clear bottles so I can keep an eye on water quality. )
Do you have a money plant at home? Do you have any advise for me? What can I do to make my plant flourish and hence get rich? :P
i stole one money plant by break with hand instead of using a cutting with any thing and put in a plastic glass it is still green but not growing after one month ..can u plz sugeest me how to care it,,,,,,,,,
ReplyDeleteHey :)
ReplyDeleteIf its still green there's nothing to worry about. Just keep changing water every few days and be patient. Roots will grow.
Until the roots grow and settle down, the water will keep getting dirty, hence the need to keep changing water.
Money plants in water grow at a slow pace. Mine at home seems to be growing very slowly now.
Also don't keep it in direct sunlight but it does need sunlight so keep it on a window sill if possible.
nice which other plants u have at home is it true to steal or only u can plant by taking permission
ReplyDeleteHey Sabiha, thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteI also have a Golden Cypress and Croton at home. And I'm trying my hand at a few vegetables and herbs.
I've heard both versions for money plants,don't know which is the true one but I like the sound of stealing one so that's what I choose to believe :)
I have money plant inside my aquarium. New roots are coming excessively than leaves. I wanna know weather this plant causes any harm to the fishes in the aquarium.
ReplyDeleteHey Praveen
ReplyDeleteThanks; You asked me a very interesting question that I didn't know the answer to. So I gave my friend Chis Koo, who is quite the expert on aquarium eco-systems a call to check. Here's the questions he asked me and some explanations.
What is the size of your tank?
A lot of things are dependent on the size of your tank. The amount of water and space would affect how your fish manage with the plant.
Do you have other plants in the tank?
Water in the the tank has only a limited amount of nutrition so, if your money plant uses up most of the nutrition then your other plants will suffer.
How many fish do you have?
Each Fish needs a certain amount of space, so the size of your tank, size of your plant & it's roots and number of fish is Important to know to figure out if the plant will affect your fish.
Can you send me a photo of your tank? Chris offered to answer your question in detail if he could get a visual of the tank and answers to the above questions.
Your can send me a photo on twitter, my handle is @freya3377
Thanks for the reply Freya..
ReplyDeletewell in my tank money plant is the only plant and there is not that much fish in it ..there is only 1 pair of angel fish and 5 pair of zebra fish.
i grow my money plant in water....it place in cool area....but its leaf turning yellow please give me a satisfied answer fastly
ReplyDeletePraveen I don't know much about fish but each fish requires a certain amount of space in a tank. So thinking of that I'd say twelve fish is a lot for a small tank.
ReplyDeleteCan you send me a photo or dimensions of the tank?
Hi Nitika
ReplyDeleteHow often do you change the water? Do you add any nutrients to the water?
Your plant may not be getting enough nutrition and hence the yellow leaves.
It can also have yellow leaves if there is too much direct sunlight.
I did not know that I have to change the water once every few days. Didn't change the water for 3-4 months and the leaves started to turn yellowish with cloudy water. Is there any ways to let the leaves turn back to green? By starting to change the water once every few days?? Please help......
ReplyDeleteHi Hui
ReplyDeleteYou need to change water once in few days only while the roots haven't taken to the water yet. Once the roots set in you can change it every time you feel the water is murky.
Basically you want the plant to have enough oxygen and nutrition in the water to grow.
The yellow leaves may not turn back to green but the new leaves that come now should be green.
I have started to add a little water-soluble micro-nutrients to the water when I change it now and the plant seems to be doing well with it. You could try that out, it may help with the leaves.
How big is your plant? How many leaves does it have?
Where do you keep your plant? In direct sunlight?
Hi Freya, thanks for your response. It used to have 14 leaves, now left with 9. I have just changed the water today, after 3-4 months of never change. I keep the plant in an air conditioning office.
ReplyDeleteHey Hui the colour of the leaves is based on sunlight too. In a lot of direct light the leaves get lighter.
ReplyDeleteI would suggest you wait and see how the plant does for a week. See if the new leaves are green.
If not you can move the plant to different places and see where the light is best.
You could also try some fertiliser. You should get it at any horticulture store.
Thanks Freya! I'll monitor and see how its goes! Thanks for your advise.
ReplyDelete[...] Taking Care of My Money Plant in Water — Life As Freya How to grow a lemon tree from seed | Growing Wild When life gives you lemons, grow trees! How to Grow Cilantro - Seeds and Plants, Gardening Tips and Advice - Burpee Cilantro needs full sun or light shade in southern zones since it bolts quickly in hot weather. [...]
ReplyDeleteHey!
ReplyDeleteI heard that if you grow money plant in water you have to put some soil also in it. Is this right?
Hey back :)
ReplyDeleteIts the first time I've heard of adding soil to the water. I don't see why it should work though except for making cleaning the bottle a real pain.
Have you added soil to your bolltled money plant?
Hi Freya! Good news! 2 new stalks are growing out from my plant ! I cannot believe it!!!
ReplyDeletecan I add drops of urine instead of commercial fertilizer? I poured about 100 ml in one month and plant is not growing not dying. may be too much sunlight causing the stunted growth.. great article. now I know that I should change the water. thnx.
ReplyDeleteHey Hui Sorry for the late reply.
ReplyDeleteNew stalks is such good news :) How is the plant doing now?
Hey Rahul
ReplyDeleteNot sure about urine. In certain quantities it would work well but too much can kill the plant. Since the plant is not dying, its a good sign but it's not growing either so maybe it's not helping.
For how long have you been adding urine? Maybe continue for a while while keeping all other things like sunlight, and quantity of water the same and see what happens.
hi
ReplyDeletei am growing money plant myself first time on the soil without any past knowledge about that today got few tips thru internet about growing faster & do,s & donts very usefull for me as i plucked two small branches of a (money plant with almost one feet of single leaf) in rainy season & fixed them in the soil now both of them started growing very speedily if you can suggest any idea
about growing money plant with less leaves but of large size all i now know is keep it in sunlight(not too much) with less water with little fertilizer but unable to get any tips about growing it with large size of leaves
ReplyDeleteHey Devinder
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. I don't know of any ways to increase leaf size but I'll ask around.
Off my head, I think leaf size is based on the plant that you got the cutting from. Genes and all, you know.
One thing I would suggest is balanced sunlight and regular addition of micro-nutrients.
Let me know how the plant grows, and I'll try and get back to you about the leaf size.
BTW why do you want less leaves but big leaves?
hi as i told u earlier 2 branches i cutted from a very well grown up money plant apprx with7-8 leaves only of not less then 1ft size a single leaf (you can say an elephants ear s Size) where I got temptated to grow myself I am able to grow those two cuttings into a 2 ft plant but trying to know how to go further to copy that type of growth
ReplyDeleteHi Devinder
ReplyDeleteOne way I can think of is to make sure your soil has enough micro-nutrients to boost growth. However adding too much can also kill the plants so add in moderation.
As for how to get bigger leaves, I ask friends and get back to you.
Hi!
ReplyDeleteSome one in my office said to me that I should add salt in the water and that I should put my plant in a bigger bottle.
How often should i change the water?
It's doing quite well! Growing more and more new stalks although 2 older stalks turned yellow and I had cut them off to prevent them from "spreading" ...
ReplyDeletei talk and sing to my plants, i wipe each and every leave with a damp cloth to clear out the dust that settles on the leave every alternate day, well its tedious job and i don't mind it, for i love my plants i have just too many and they are growing very well..i do a lot of studies about plants and its care. they are living things and can feel your love for them. please don't believe in that saying if you have money plants and if they are grow well you will get a lot of money that's utter bullshit and rubbish, please don't believe in all that feng shui stuff. its nonsense. reality speaks for itself.
ReplyDeletehi I have a money plant in soil . Its not growing fine and leaves are turning yellow It hardly have 5-6 leaves and 3 turned yellow. Its cold outside so I took it inside. Pl. advice what to do
ReplyDeleteHi Freya,
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to know if I take a cutting of a money plant grown in soil, can I transplant it to water? Or should it be in soil alone?
Hi Lyandra
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by :)
A cutting of a money plant grown in soil will grow in water or vice-verse. However once planted in water or soil the plant cannot be removed and put into another medium.
You can only change the medium with a cutting.
Hi Mudita
ReplyDeleteSorry for the late reply. I've been away for a while.
A couple of things to check -
Does the plant get enough sunlight? It does not need direct sunlight. The more the direct light, the lighter the leaf colour.
Does the soil have enough nutrition? The yellowing of leaves could be because of shortage of nutrients. Add a little manure to the soil. It should help.
Thanks for stopping by Karim. :)
ReplyDeleteSure the saying that the money plant and money are related is a superstition. But what's wrong with a little superstition. It's fun don't you think.
It also helps that the superstition makes sure people take care of their plant. :)
Hi Usman
ReplyDeleteIt's the first time I've heard of adding salt. In very small quantities it may not kill the plant but in large quantities it could. I've never tried adding salt so can't say. Don't think I'm going to experiment on my plant with salt either. :) Let me know how much salt you put and how the plant did if you do put salt.
A medium size bottle should be fine. I use a 750ml bottle for mine.
I would suggest changing the water once in two weeks or so.
Hi Devinder
ReplyDeleteIt takes time to get big leaves. The plant has to get bigger and stronger first. The leaf size also depends on nutrition for the plant.
I have seen the kind of leaves you are talking about but only on plants in soil and they were plants that were atleast a few years old.
thanks for useful tips
ReplyDeletehey!
ReplyDeletemy money plant is growing very fast..but problem is ,new leaves are getting black spots...whats the reason?..and i have money plant in water,roots are coming out but roots are black..in transparent bottle,black roots are looking bad..
Hey Sara
ReplyDeleteI had a similar issue with my plant. The leaves started to have black spots which then spread outward and the leaves started drying out. Almost as if they were getting burned. Checked with a friend who said it was a virus attack. Can't save the leaves and only way to save the plant is to remove the leaves.
I removed all the leaves and was finally left with just one leaf. But it seems to have saved the plant as new leaves are slowly sprouting now.
As for the black roots. - Are they coming out black or is it a some kind of algae growing on them? When did you last change the water?
Could you take a photo and share it?
i changed the water when soil start getting dry,almost after 2 weeks..bt now i have kept plant near window,where proper sunlight comes..and i feel now new leaves are not getting black spoots..bt some old ones are still getting..i remove leaves with black spots immidiately...bt i will upload pics..
ReplyDeleteHey Sara
ReplyDeleteIs the plant growing in both soil and water?
HI Freya, a lot of useful info. I have just one question, my plant has grown quite nicely. It's well rooted and new leaves are sprouting. I put 4 small stems into a large vase. initially some of the leaves dried out but the roots kept growing, so essentially what has happened is that 2 of the larger stems went bald without leaves but has new leaves sprouting from the end. please do suggest what I can do to make it look fuller.
ReplyDeleteHey Tanmay Thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteHave you been changing the water regularly? You need to find the perfect timing. Changing too often is bad and so is too infrequently.
My plant also seems to have slowed down. I guess it's also got to do with seasons. If the plants isn't dying and just slowing down in growth. Wait and watch is what I'd recommend.
Hey Fatman Jones, I'd suggest waiting. In time more leaves will sprout and the plant will start to look fuller. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat is your recommendation for my plant.
ReplyDeleteHey Tanmay
ReplyDeleteWhen did you last change the water?
great tips..my other questions where answered by your comment section..thanks alot
ReplyDeleteI last changed the water of my plant on 18th of April.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Muhammad, glad I could help :)
ReplyDeleteHey Tanmay, how is the plant doing have the change of water?
ReplyDeleteYou should be able to get these gels in any gardening store. Or online these guys at Garden Guru may have it. http://www.gardenguru.in
ReplyDeleteHey Anish Have lost my plant :( Was traveling for a while and plant do well while I was away. Seems to have caught a viral infection. :(
ReplyDeleteLooking out for a fresh cutting to start again. Will keep you posted.
Hello! I have a money plant in water for last 3 years, but it is not growing. It still has just one leave. I have kept in the bathroom since I have read that it likes moist weather. Please advise!
ReplyDeleteWow Ressmi, 3 years with one leaf is a long time. How do the roots look? Does the plant seem healthy?
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could attach a photo in comments.
Hi Saurabh
ReplyDeleteBe patient and watch. If roots seem to be coming out into the water, all is fine. Else put more of the plant into water as roots come out from nodes. So push the plant in until at least one node is covered with water.
Keep me posted on how things go. :)
very well written article..Freya!!
ReplyDelete1 question I have is...how to change the water, just upside down the bottle to pour out all old stale water and fill in new supply or is there any other way to do. May be my question is silly, but I am thinking this since a week, when I planted money plant.
Thanks Rashmi, both for the compliment and the question. :) It got me to update the document a bit.
ReplyDeleteInitially change the water once a week, and only half the water. After the plant has settled with a good number of roots and if the water quality is good and doesn’t get messy, the change of water could be done once a month. If the water is clean, you need to change just half the water. If it looks dirty and has a lot of debris, rinse the bottle and change the water completely.
Hi Nitika,
ReplyDeletemoney plant need sunlight with 15- 30 degree Celsius temp.
keep your money in sunlight in the morning and evening time and change the water every 2-3 days. Do not use distill or chlorine water(if possible use borwell water and use liquid fertilizer which contains nitrate.
keep clam and see the effect. But still if you have any doubt then visit your nearest plant nursery they will give you advance solution.
vijay.
Thanks for joining the conversation Vijay and helping out Nikita :)
ReplyDeleteHi Pravin/ Freya,
ReplyDeletesome days back i went one of my friends house and i saw he also kept 1 fish tank and in that money plant is there. So Pravin the only thing you need to keep in mind and that is do not put any fertilizer in that tank. That money plant will take is nutrients from the fish's wastes spcly nitrates. And if you are using air machine and water rotater machine then its good for both money plant as well as fishes.
Super stuff Vijay. I've never seen a tank with fish and a money plant or tried it. You inputs are very helpful. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Freya,
ReplyDeleteplease see attached pic of that fish tank in which fish and money plant both are there.
I'll tell you one interesting thing which i saw last week. In my office on of my friend 9 month back bought 1 money plant in green color bottle. With the time all leaves fell down only stem was left and he was about to throw that bottle but before that he realized something is there in side the bottle. And after checking carefully he found small - small leaves inside the bottle looking beautiful. We broke that that bottle and transferred whole plant in a glass jar with 3-4 small colorful fishes. Hope you like this post and pic.
This looks great Vijay! Thanks for sharing. :)
ReplyDeleteHello ma'am ...
ReplyDeletei have just planted my money plant 2 days ago in a water bottle and i am changing its water every day because i think that my bottle is small for it, so it can't get enough water and other elements from water but i don't want to change that bottle by big one. I want to ask that how to take care of it , how to protect from mosquito , how to grow fast ,is there any home made remedies of water-solution to grow a healthy plant ? please give me suggestions according to attached photo and watering also.
thank you.
Hey freya!
ReplyDeleteSomeone said that by ading some suger in money plants water will increase its growth rate.
Is that right?
Hi Ali, this is the first time I have heard of this. So, I did a quick google search and read a bit. Seems sugar is beneficial for soil but not always for plants. It increases microbial activity in the soil but could reduce osmosis in plants. It has to be added with care as over doing it would kill your plant.
ReplyDeleteIf you decide to give it a try do let us know how the experiment worked out. :)
Hey,
ReplyDeleteAs I read that money plant is the easiest to grow, I thought of adding one to my potted plants. But my money plant, instead of thriving, it is dying. I am attaching a photo. Can someone help please?
I am not sure what I am doing wrong. I am having the plant in the open, not sure if the sunlight is killing it.
Hey Gokul
ReplyDeleteIs the plant getting enough water?
Also move it into the shade, I think it might be getting too much harsh sunlight. Especially until it has taken to the soil.
Hi Freya,
ReplyDeleteThe plant does not get direct sunlight. It is under a sun shade and gets sunlight only until noon. I can move it inside the house where it will not get direct sunlight.
I was afraid I over watered it and stopped watering for a while until the moist in the soil became dry and gave water sparsely thereafter. These symptoms were visible when I was watering the plant. But there is no sign of improvement at all. In fact, it has become worse now.
I might loose the plant soon.
Any advice is more appreciable.
Thanks in advance.
Move the plant indoors and completely away from direct sunlight for a while Gokul.
ReplyDeleteAlso tell me is it only the leaves that are turning yellow and falling or is the stem rotting too?
If it's only leaves and stem looks healthy, then just be patient. New leaves may come in a while.
Don't worry, from what I have learned until now, there are many many reasons for why a plant may not survive. You cannot solve everything. If the plant doesn't make it, don't beat yourself. Just get another cutting and try again.:)
The stem has rotten too and the plant is almost dead. :( So I have kinda cut the top portion of the plant which looks pale but alive and planted it. I am not sure if this will survive. Does this due to sunlight or over watering? Any ideas? Can you tell me how much water is needed for a money plant?
ReplyDeleteIn the picture, you can see the portions of the stem that are darkened, but the roots seems healthy. Not sure what is the cause of this.
I need help on another indoor plant too - I am not sure what the plant is, where can I ask you about it as this blog is only for money plant.
Hey Gokul have the roots started to come out?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure why the plant gave up. It could be the soil, the water, the sun, the way the cutting was taken,...
My suggestion is to start with a new cutting. Make sure the cut is done cleanly, a ragged cut may not take to replanting well.
Plant the cutting is well aerated soil that holds water but does not clog. Keep it in indirect sunlight for a bit and then gradually move it into the sun.
Though money plants have a richer green when kept away from direct sunlight.
Hope this helps...
As for the other plant. Post a picture here. Maybe I can help. :)
hi freya...my money plant's (grown in soil) longest branch of about 1m got broken accidentally and i ve put the broken branch in a separate water filled jar but the whole branch is dying and the leaves are also dying and the original branch from the pot is also dying so any suggestions to revive the branch...pls do help as soon as possible...this happened a week back and the longest part of the plant has become half and started dying...looking forward to your help
ReplyDeleteHey Freya,
ReplyDeleteI bought this from a nursery where it was really healthy and good. I am not sure if it is the soil - I had added some vermi compost and some organice ferts before planting it in the port. Not sure which one is the culprit.
My outdoor plants are thriving, but I am very new to indoor plants. I will see if I can get another one and try in a different soil. I will post the picture of the other plant today evening after reaching home.
Thanks for all your help :)
tq... 4 d quick response i ll b able to send u d pics by tomorrow as i dont ve it right now..thanks again
ReplyDeleteHey Freya,
ReplyDeleteAttached are the plant images. This was so beautiful when I brought her from the nursery fully busy. Now, most of the leaves dries out. Even the new leaves get dries out quickly. So, not sure what the issue is.
Can you help please?
Hey Gokul
ReplyDeleteThe soil seems dull, maybe adding in come compost and cocopeat to lighten the soil might help.
This is Chlorophytum comosum, often called spider plant or airplane plant. There seems to be advise for this plant out there, you could research it. :)
Hi Freya,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the ID. I am wondering if mine is a spider plant as the leaves are darker in color than the spider plant images those are on the Internet. Are you sure mine is a spider plant?
Looks like it is an easy care plant, but I am struggling with. The soil was dry as I haven't watered it for a while thinking I might have over watered it. I will add more compost and cocopeat to it to make the soil soft.
Will it be ok for the plant if I make sure that the soil is moist all the time?
That was what I found on google but I'm no expert on Spider plants. :) Try searching for plants that look like spider plants and see what you find.
ReplyDeleteHey Freya,
ReplyDeleteI tried and couldn't find anything else. I would try to check with the nursery from where I bought it. :)
Meanwhile, I found some creeper just like the money plant. Not sure if it is money plant. Can you confirm please?
Definitely looks like a money plant...
ReplyDeleteThanks Freya! Is keeping the soil moist sufficient for the plant to grow as this plant is totally indoors?
ReplyDeletePlease suggest any ideas for the plant to thrive (as your blog discusses only planting in water).
I've just planted my first one in soil two months back Gokul, so I'm still learning. But what I can tell you is that it seems to like a well drained soil, should be moist but not wet. A couple of dry spells are good too.
ReplyDeleteMine is planted in the shade so no direct sunlight. The plant seems to like that and the leaves are a lovely dark green with spots and splashes of yellow.
Also the soil has good nutrition and mulch.
Hi Freya,
ReplyDeleteUnderstood. :)
I am not sure what the problem is with mine. Even these new cuttings does not seem to grow. They are kind of becoming dull and not sure if these are dying too though they are totally inside the house. They get indirect sunlight in the mornings. I just couldn't figure where I am wrong.
I had this same kind of symptoms before the previous plant died.
:(
ReplyDeleteHave you tried growing it in a different part of the house?
Hi Freya, will try and let you know.
ReplyDeleteHi Freya,
ReplyDeleteA very useful blog and thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge. Is it possible for me to grow my money plant in aquarium? Like just dropping them in my tank.