scy, most of my Phals are potted in sphagnum and doing just fine. You can use thin bamboo skewers, the kind you use to barbeque, stick it in the moss towards the middle. Pull it out every now and again to check. If it is barely damp, time to water. When in doubt, wait a day and check again. Depending on the size of the pot, sometimes I don't water for almost 2 weeks.