If you use the live sand there should be no cycle at all, or at least none of the ammonia - nitirite - nitrate kind of cycle. There does seem to be a bit of a "cycle" of introducing new sand in terms of algae. Typically you will get a little run of algae about two or three weeks after new sand, usually cyano, nothing that cannot be managed. Wonder what causes that? Maybe there's an increase in phosphates associated with the new sand? Just thinking out loud here.