Thanks for the back up guys. Getting the fish safe was my first concern. I felt I had to move faster than I usually like to advise.Nitrates won't affect fish until it reaches the hundreds, and most inverts/softies/LPS can tolerate 40-60 ppm. (Helps if they are allowed to slowly adjust to it.)
But most SPS, starfish, urchins and other "sensitives" can't take more than 5-10 ppm.
The problem with the old tank sand and possibly rock are what we're going to figure out next.
I'm pretty sure the sand was the major problem and the water changes and new sand should to do the trick.
The rock and old sand were from a purchased tank and transferredI am looking at new tank, and parameters are bouncing around until the bio load settles in. Also with the new tank there is not enough algae in the system for feed and the snail and hermit starve.