I'd personally be using nothing but sand and one or two objects such as overturned terracotta flower pot bases.
'Smart' is a bit subjective here. If you want your lizards to be happy and healthy and you want your job to be cheap and easy, you literally just need a plastic tub for an enclosure, sand, and some object for them to use as a shelter/burrow entrance site. Plus a heat mat, thermostat and water to pour into the sand.
Bioactive enclosures might be interesting, but they provide no benefit to the reptile, extra work and expense for you, and their value is in the fun and enjoyment of having a bioactive enclosure (if that interests you). If I wanted a bioactive enclosure, I wouldn't include reptiles in it, and if I did want a bioactive enclosure which included reptiles, it sure wouldn't be a burrowing lizard, and I say that as (at the risk of sounding like an arrogant boaster) a highly experienced keeper of a wide range of living things with formal qualifications and experience in zoology and ecology. This isn't to say it's impossible, but for most people it will fail and even for me it would be far more hassle than it's worth. You can learn to swim in the deep end without floaties if you want, but only do that if you want a challenge and have high confidence in your abilities. If it goes badly, your wheeleri will be the ones paying the highest price. Keeping arid Nephrurus species can be as easy or as difficult as you want it to be. My 2c is that it's better to go for the easy option.