Wow thank you so much for this! I’m so interested to hear more if you’d share your experience! I am thinking my screw up was reading the instructions online for Microbacter Start XLM, but putting Microbacter 7 into the tank instead with those instructions (different dosing). Then letting it sit for a full week (following Start XLM instructions) before noticing the bottle difference, because Microbacter 7 says to add each day during the cycle process. Did you also use QuickCycl with the Microbacter 7? I was very concerned I screwed up my entire cycle!I did read the whole thread ^^ I cycled 5 tanks all with Microbacter 7 it's the best bacteria in bottle in my opinion for so many reasons. As for water changing I come from school that never do water changes and you going to have different opinions but 25% weekly water changes is quite a lot if your NO3 is low or have no corals.