I have the neo and my catts in just lava rock, and i mist everyday with a soak every two weeks. They have been in it for about a year now and they are all growing great
There are different types of lava rock out there. There is the solid lava rock that has no poer spaces and there are the lava cinder which has lots of pore space ala swiss cheese. I find the lava cinder to be an excellent substrate for potting orchids of all types. Here...
I use lava and love it. I get mine from Home Depot. It's the landscape lava...out where they have the rocks and sand. Very inexpensive...nice mix of sizes in one bag. Just be sure to rinse well and don't do it in a sink in the house as the sediment could clog up pipes. I use an old colander and rinse it outside.