HELP! Vanda leaves yellowing and dropping

[Jens_orchids]

Hi all, I'm new here

I bought my first vanda a couple of weeks ago from a local florist. It had beautiful orangey red spotted flowers and was hanging in the window for a few weeks until I finally caved a purchased it.

As I am new to vandas, I don't know everything I should be looking for in a healthy plant to purchase but it looked okay, just a bit dehydrated in the roots.

This was it when I got it home:


I had it hanging up on a curtain rail for a few days and watered it every day by soaking it then rehanging. I noticed that a few leaves were turning yellow and falling but assumed that they might have been a bit damaged when I brought it home or it was adjusting to more watering.

I built a basket for it to sit in and removed what appeared as the most mushy brown roots and left the rest. I have a layer of sisal fibre on the bottom of the basket and then chunky bark with a bit of sphagnum mixed into it (as it looked a bit dehydrated). Also, I wanted it to be a bit adjusted as I am going away for a few days soon so can't have it hanging free.



Now I am checking it every day and watering when the media is dry. Most of the roots have a layer of algae on them so don't look silver but the ones that are silver, green up when watered. It also has green roots branching out of the older more shrivelled roots.



Leaves are still turning yellow and dropping. They go brittle at the stem join and snap off. I have pulled away the remains of a couple of leaves to check the stem for rot but it seems green.



I am really worried and stressing out because it is such a beautiful plant and is starting to look more like a palm tree. I've looked at so many websites and threads to try to find help but I am not experience enough to know what to do next. I refuse to accept the youtube videos of fusarium at this stage as it could just be adapting still.

Can anyone with vanda experience give me some advice?

Thanks and pleased you meet you all!