i dont know if the ants are good or bad, but the problems with your rope sound more like a root problem than a sunburn problem. usually leaves will turn yellow and drop due to over watering, along with the mixture of shriviling leaves i would tip it out of the pot and check the roots to see if they look healthy.

Ok I will do that. Should I fertilize or add some fresh soil or anything?
What do healthy roots look like and if there damaged parts is it ok to trim them off?
Thank you!

yes trim off the dead roots, but make sure to leave any healthy ones... the healthy ones will be nice and white and the dead ones will be yellow and wrinkled looking, if you lightly pull on the yellow ones a outer "skin" will slide off and there will just be fine threads left. i would probably hold off on fertalizing right away to be sure you dont burn any fine roots, but maybe water with rain water if possible. when was the last time the soil was changed? if it was fairly recently (such as within the last year or so) i wouldnt be worried about changing it. make sure its in a fast draining soil, i have my plants in a 50/50 mix of just potting soil and perlite but within the next few days i will we repotting all of my plants in this mixture with mulch added, to help air flow and such. i hope that if i have any of this wrong someone will please answer and correct me, but this is the advise i can give. good luch, i hope you save your hoyas.

Thank you for the great advice! Today I went to look at the roots and plant is INFESTED with tiny ant looking things. They look like a cross between a spider and an ant and they are in most of my potted plants outside. It is hard to get at the roots because the plant is literally crawling.

Are these harmful and should I do anything about them? If so, what should I do?
Thank you!

do you have a picture of them? or can you try and find a picture online? it almost sounds like spider mites to me but im not sure, i have not experienced this problem yet. whatever they are i bet they are harmful and probably feeding on your plant and its roots. first thing i would do is pull it out and try and remove all of the soil, by dunking it in water to help remove the soil. i know that regular blue dawn works like a charm to kill pests so maybe dunk it in warm soapy water (the soap shouldnt hurt the plant). if i were you i would start another thread about the little nasties and see what everyone else suggests, because i have not incountered this problem yet so i havent had to actually handle it yet.

Amber,

Didn't you ask abt the mulch on another thread & wasn't it suggested that you NOT use it? Cedar mulch if I recall.

If I may (you did ask), you're making this a bit too complicated. Air flow will be just fine (even excellent) if you stick w/ 50/50 mix to perlite.

Best not to add unknowns & their equally unknown variables into mixes that we know for SURE work fine.

Thank you Amber. I couldn't get a picture of them but I am going to look around right now to see if I can find some info. I am attaching a picture of the poor plant though if you or anyone has any advice.
Thank you!

yes PG, on this site i was told best not to use the mulch... i also asked on another forum too though and someone i hold in very high regard told me it would be totally fine to use the mulch but that i might want to look into sterilizing if i was going to have my plants indoors. and also my soil is not working fine... its staying wet too long and thus causing root decay, so i decided to add the mulch since hoyas like to grow on trees in their natural habitat anyways.

sorry i got off topic popke, there is definatly a big problem with your rope but i havent seen it before so im not sure what it would be... im guessing the little buggies... are they any specific color that you can tell?