Teeny little silver grey bugs in my phal medium!

[Lailamarafie]

Hey guys,
I can someone help, I repotted 3 out of my 5 phals a few months back, I had watered them in a while so have them a soak (poured water through them, let them sit for a few mins and the took them out to drain) I then noticed some teeny, like 1/6th of an inch, silvery grey things swimming about in the water !! Also, the new potting bark seems to make the water run brown, is this normal ?
They're only in the three I repotted, so my guess is the little critters were in the potting medium I got in the garden centre.
Can you help me identify them? I've only ever seen them in the bark, never above 'ground'. If you take the inner pot out the decorative one you can someone catch them hanging out in the bottom of the decorative pot. I know they're not mealybug, deal with those little guys in the past.
Thank you!
Laila

[Ray]

Probably nothing more that psocids, or bark lice. While they may not do much to harm the plants, they are a good indicator that the potting medium is decomposing.

[Lailamarafie]

Thanks Ray, just did a little research and they don't look like those bugs you mention, but that did lead me on to something called springtails. Little active bugs that move very quickly and flip (spring) about in water. Are these harmful?
I also noticed in one of my newly reported pots lots of white web, do these guys cause that?
Do you know if it's okay to have them near my other orchids?
Thanks
🐜

[Ray]

Springtails fall in that same nuisance category, but again, feed on fungi from decomposing media.

White webbing might be fungal in nature, and could be harmful or beneficial, depending upon the type... Orchiata bark, for example contains penicillium and trichoderma, both of which predate pathogenic fungi.

[MattWoelfsen]

Good exchange of information. Thank you both.

[Lailamarafie]

I repotted today! Just to be on the safe side!
Not gonna lie, one looked pretty crappy at the root end!! And I only potted it about four months ago!
Thank for your advice

[greenpassion]

Originally Posted by Ray

Orchiata bark, for example contains penicillium and trichoderma, both of which predate pathogenic fungi.

Ray, could you explain about the orchiata bark? I have begun using this, both straight, and also mixed with a chunky orchid bark mix. Is orchiata harmful in some way?

[estación seca]

What Ray meant is that Orchiata often has spores of beneficial fungi that inhibit or kill bad fungi.

[greenpassion]

Originally Posted by estación seca

What Ray meant is that Orchiata often has spores of beneficial fungi that inhibit or kill bad fungi.

Oh. Well that's good to know. I'm starting to think that I'm paranoid. And I have to confess I am somewhat of a hoverer. What is the honest truth not a day goes by where I don't learn something important from you guys.

[Lailamarafie]

Originally Posted by greenpassion

Oh. Well that's good to know. I'm starting to think that I'm paranoid. And I have to confess I am somewhat of a hoverer. What is the honest truth not a day goes by where I don't learn something important from you guys.

Glad to know someone else is obsessed with the new found knowledge

---------- Post added at 04:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:33 PM ----------

Originally Posted by greenpassion

Oh. Well that's good to know. I'm starting to think that I'm paranoid. And I have to confess I am somewhat of a hoverer. What is the honest truth not a day goes by where I don't learn something important from you guys.

Glad to know someone else is thriving off the new found knowledge