Welcome to the Orchid Board!
Large chunk bark works fine. You just need to water more often. Most beginners tend to overwater Catts and Phals, so they learn better on coarse bark. You grow Lithops, so you must be disciplined enough not to water every day. Succulentists learning to grow orchids frequently don't water enough.
Which Dendrobiums? That Black Gold stuff in a small pot can work for Dens.
I'm surprised an apartment would have electric circuits that could handle so many light fixtures without tripping the circuit breaker.
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