Thanks for the update. It is very encouraging. It seems that the key difference seems to be that you do not submerge the top of the roots so no water gets into the crown. Apparently it works with Phals. On the other hand, when I left the rhizome-root juncture exposed to air with Cattleya I could not get rid of black rot.
Please continue to update us. If your Phals are still doing well after a year I will try again.