Is there any hope left for my wrinkled, rootless Catt?

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by camille1585

I really don't know what happened to it, temp/rh was what within the 'normal' range for the season, and I left some water if the jar before leaving, as I usually do. I hadn't cleaned out the algae in a while though, could that have either suffocated the roots, or promoted the development of a phytopathogen?

Nice information Camille. Certainly a possibility about algae possibly involved with the issue somehow. Some people report having no issue with algae build-up on roots, while others report that algae can suffocate roots.

This could certainly be looked into, and considered. The other good information you gave is that the orchid was grown in this way for ten years, which is quite a significant amount of time. So assuming temperature and humidity and water level, and no toxicity issues ----- then could focus on the procedure you generally use - such as your mention of haven't cleaned out the algae for a while. Does that process involve - every once in a while - removal of algae from the jar and also from the roots? Once again --- nice information!

[Shadeflower]

I would say algae on roots does affect them. It should be avoided if possible. I know that is easier said than done sometimes, I have algae all over but it should be avoided if possible. I honestly don't know if it affects the root too much but overall if it stays too wet too long for algae to grow that's less good and the root will degrade faster over time. It can also make roots dry less from the added algae this can actually be a benefit or a disadvantage (a bit like a moss layer)

I wouldn't have thought that algae actually destroys all roots at once like happened. Over time they might degrade faster but this was most likely a fungal infection that spread killing all the roots (apart from the ones that were being kept dry, ie the aerial roots)

[SouthPark]

It's a possibility for sure shade. For catts - in the natural environment ------ they probably don't generally have algae - or at least that much on the roots ---- or algae surrounding the roots.

Maybe regular aquatic plants that are used to that sort of condition are ok. Orchids may adapt a bit ----- up to some point or limit. But hard to say what the limits are.

The method that Camille uses certainly works. But just most or all of the techniques we use here ------ it's about keeping the system under control. If it is algae-related, then this is something we can look into. If the only thing that needed to be done was to just regularly keep the algae at bay or under control ---- by occasional cleaning, then that could probably sort it all out. The 10 years of growing is quite a while.

This is just assuming everything is is normal -- as in temperature, humidity, water temperature, toxicity due to something else in the water.

Figuring out what happened here during the course of the vacation is important for sure.