Purple or brown on edges on leaves
 

Hey I think my orchid may be dying and I have no idea what to do. First of all my orchid was a gift so I have no idea what I'm doing. And secondly I've killed a cactus before so I seriously have no idea what I'm doing. I tried looking up what it wrong with my plant but I can't find anything that matched what I have. It may be sunburn because it's purple-ish but I guess it could be brownish too.

The coloration is fine imo. However, it looks like the mix it is growing in is full of dirt. Can you find some orchid mix at your local garden center?

Welcome to Orchid Board.

I agree, the colouring is fine. There is a lengthy thread with lots of useful tips for beginner Phal growers. I recommend reading some of it at least: http://www.orchidboard.com/community...hal-abuse.html

I assume your Phal came potted as it is now. The media does look old and possibly like it is in too large of pot which could cause root rot. Hard to tell without a full shot of the plant and pot, but it looks like it to me.

I agree with the other two answers. So I'll just say
:welcomeflowers:

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

Welcome! The coloring looks fine to me. I agree that it would appreciate fresh medium to sink its roots into or more likely grow out of! They put out aerial roots as well as ones that will go into the pot. This is also a normal thing for them to do, so do not worry if yours starts to do this also. Just avoid over watering and letting water sit in the top of the plant for long periods of time. I sometimes use a twisted piece of tissue to soak up excess water from the crown of my potted Phals. My mounted ones typically grow downwards and avoid any water in the top issues.