Bill, the only thing that I know for sure is that "keiki" is the Hawaiian word for "baby", and in reference to orchids, means the tiny plants that sometimes develop on the flowering stems after the blossoms drop. Probably nothing to do with a plant treatment.
Are you talking about Phalaenopsis orchids, or some other kind? Are they the ones sold in decorative glass vases, or another arrangement more in tune with the artistic than the horticultural side of orchids. Such arrangements are usually put together just before bloom by florists, and expected to be discarded after bloom, because they can't really continue in those conditions.
As for the rocks, definitely remove them. I've never known any plant to do well in "The Cask of Amontillado"!

I'd love to see a picture of them, sounds bizarre and not quite natural!

A lot of shop bought orchids now have tiny plastic coir at the centre and over time this will wreck the plant as the medium restricts new root growth & starts acidity to go up & up.
Orchids flower for months on end and as prices drop they are brilliant value even more.
July was a bit wet & not very warm so feeding & watering might have been on the high side. Some have grown ariel roots but no flower stems yet.