In the past two years I’ve tried multiple products on different batches of rock including One and Only, Biospira, Turbo Start, and MicroBacter7. I’ve had the best luck with MicroBacter7 as if I remember correctly that cycled a tank in less than 10 days. As for the rest of them, they’ve probably been a waste of money. I’m not saying this is always the case, but it’s my personal experience. Dry sand as opposed to live sand hasn’t made a difference in cycling, but it’s possible live sand could add to biodiversity. I’ve also cycled without sand with no problem. Typically I just use drops of ammonia to cycle the tank. Important thing like Erik mentioned is be mindful of the speed at which you add waste producing livestock even after cycling. Your rock will take time to build up bacteria that feed on nitrate and convert it to nitrogen gas. On another note that I have noticed, I think sand beds have helped with nitrate levels when properly maintained.