Methods of easing a plant into S/H

[Pilot]

Does anyone use a "hybrid" mixture of medium when easing a plant into hydroton?

Here is my idea...

I have a young phal that has several good roots and shows signs of some active root growth. The grower grew it in a heavy medium, close to potting soil. Because of this, it was quite wet and since i had success with another phal in the same kind of mix doing well in s/h (use to a higher water content already?) I figured I'd try it out.

However, this phal isn't one I can easily replace if I mess up. So, instead of keeping it in this heavy soil, I opted for sphag moss. However, because I want the plant in s/h, I decided that I would place the plant with loose, moist moss around its roots on top of the s/h pot and secure it. I have applied bottom heat and am spraying with a water-super thrive mixture that seems to have helped me in the past getting phals to more actively root.

So to clarify, the moss is on top of the hydroton, not mixed in it, and is kept loose and moist so as to prevent suffocation and water logging of the roots.

So what do you think? Is this silly of me? I figure it is providing a good environment for the current roots but makes available the medium for future s/h roots.

What say you?

[DelawareJim]

I wouldn't muck about with the sphag. Just go straight to the hydroton and be done with it.

Phals are fairly hardly plants and don't have any problem converting to S/H as long as they were starting new roots when you made the switch.

Cheers.
Jim