Yes although many skip it and just move it all
that allows variation, some get ammonia upwells and some dont. Most have resulting cyano light challenges a few weeks due to nutrient mixing, so it’s better to clean, there’s no benefit in not cleaning. Most are avoiding it due to fear of bac loss, but that never matters. We could turn your whole tank to bare bottom instantly and the rocks would just take over without ramp up.
at all times in reefing, live rocks are able to take on more bioloading without ramp up for new bacteria. There is no new space for new bacteria on live rock, it’s all used up space. If we stack layers and layers of ‘new’ bac in place like the masses would claim happens in a ramp up, that decreases surface area it doesn’t increase it. Surface area limits your ability to expose wastewater to bacteria (water treatment plant science 101)
People removing sandbeds in portions for bac care are tricking themselves, removing oxygen- hungry mixed bacterial beds is instantly good for the system, what’s left on the rocks. But what’s stuck to rocks is such powerful bacteria that they still exist full ready state always, even if the sandbed bacteria are competing for resources (ammonia, oxygen)
removing accessory surface area doesn’t make live rock get caught short-handed, all live rock can instantly take on more bioload with its inherent, unboosted surface area or bacteria. Due to that mechanism of active surface area, we get away with full bed rinsing in tap water until it’s 1000% clear. On any reef tank that wants to run it, even if it’s sandbed is twenty years established we can rip it out safely
Or remove the sand and not put it back, same. Sandbed bacteria don’t matter they’re instantly expendable. We dim the lights for five days after rinsing to clarity, we increase feed padding to corals, and all tanks will handle sandbed intrusion just fine.
