Paul,
I have to differ with the previous responses. I think now is the ideal time to get your plant out of the pot and into some new bark. Take the time to inspect the roots and remove those that are rotted and/or dried up. Be sure to use a sterile tool when doing so. Remove all traces of the old bark without damaging the good roots.
Nothing better reveals the true condition of a plant than the condition of the roots. Healthy roots will have a fleshy tip that ranges from green to purple in Phalaenopsis. The fact that a monopodial orchid has multiple new growths at its base may well indicate a desperate attempt to survive. If the plant recovers you will find that one growth will tend to dominate while the others seem to languish. Don't try to remove the other growths as that will only further damage the plant.
Choose a new pot based upon the size of the root mass. The proper pot will just contain the roots. My guess is you will need a much smaller pot. A cardinal rule in potting orchids: Do not over pot! If a plant has few or no roots it should be placed in a very small pot, even if the size of the plant itself seems to indicate otherwise.
Swabbing the leaves of a Phalaenopsis with white cotton or tissue, followed by an inspection of the wipe, is considered an effective means of detecting the presence of mites. The mites that infest Phals are nearly microscopic and can only be seen with the aid of a magnifier. What you detected on the wipe was pretty solid evidence that the plant did indeed have mites, and the condition (and subsequent loss) of the leaves seems to support this contention. It sounds like you used the right tool, but just missed the diagnosis.
I don't have a foolproof means of dealing with mites, but if you choose to use an insecticide be certain that it is specifically formulated for control of mites. As a preventative periodically spray all sides of the leaves with water to which you have added a few drops of dish detergent. Mites thrive in dry, dusty conditions.
Apologies to those who may disagree, but I think this plant is crying out for action.
Regards,
Rick
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