salt

Question
We have a 36 gal. tank it has 2 giant gold fish. The nitrites have been really high since we set it up 4 weeks ago. We have changed 30% of the water about 5 times and nothing works to get the nitrites down.  Now the fishes fins have like red running through them.  It says to add salt but we don't know how much.  Help!  

Answer
cathy,
right now I would change 25% of the water, stirr the gravel up really well and siphon from the bottom.
watch the feeding and check the pH as well...
you should be at 7.0-7.6 for the goldfish, no heater.
the red could be a couple of things but adding some non iodized salt will not hurt anything.\
I would put in a 1/4 cup disolved in the tank water, just pour it in.
I would not treat the whole tank at this point as it is unstable as it is and you may make things worse, by improving the conditions the fish should clear up.
If that does not happen or if things get worse, write again and we will try something different.
enjoy your tank.