I think it's maybe supposed to be sand in a fuge or something.
Sometimes you need sand for what you are keeping, apparently. Mostly.
I have enough sand grazing critters to warrant a non-tear down of my 230g for the moment.
I don't have a true bare bottom, and probably wouldn't just because of the look of it, but my rubble bottom trigger/softie tank comes close. The trigger poofs the bottom mostly, I don't bother much, the Euro-reef cleans up, I have little or no algae in there. I have huge crabs, snails and stars that spend a lot of time on the bottom.