Fish-In Cycle And Cloudiness Help

[Lunatari]

Hey everyone, I need some help and hopefully I can get some good advice.

So...I started my first freshwater tank, I have:
-20g aquarium
-Aqueon Quietflow power filter (came with tank)
-Submersible heater (also came with tank)
-one live plant, the rest plastic and some rock/plant decor (2)
-Gravel
-Gravel Vacuum/Siphon
-2 zebra danios

I set up my tank about a week ago, using Tetra Safe Start and let it sit with filter running for 4 days then added 4 zebra danios. I realize now, after more research, that this was probably one or two too many to add and that a fish-less cycle is better, but my lfs said it would be fine since danios are hardy. Anyway, I have lost two of them and my remaining two seem to be pretty good (live and learn, but poor fishies). However, my tank is pretty cloudy and I know it could be due to cycling but it is worrying me. I have the Jungle 6-in-1 test strips and API Ammonia liquid tester. After reading on here, I now know that the API Master Kit is more accurate and I will be getting that tomorrow. My readings with the 6-in-1 today were:

Nitrate: between 0 and 20ppm (hard to tell with test strip, def. getting the Master Kit)
Nitrite: .5ppm
Chlorine: 0
Alkalinity: 80-120ppm
pH: between 7.2-7.8

API liquid tester:
Ammonia: 0.25

I did a 10% water change (with stress coat plus conditioner) today hoping to lower ammonia and alleviate the cloudiness (and the cloudiness did lessen a tiny bit), but my question is: There seems to be some differing opinions on whether or not water changes should be done during cycling, and if so how often and what percentage? Also, does anyone know if the cloudiness is normal? I'm worried about my fish and feel terrible putting them through this and I want to make things as right as can be. I will post new test readings with the Master Kit tomorrow, but any help in the meantime would be greatly appreciated. Sorry such a long read...

 

[roadmaster]

All kinds of things happen in the aquarium during maturing or (cycling ) Process. Cloudy water ,fluctuating pH,diatom blooms,bacteria blooms (cloudy water).I would not worry bout these, for once the tank has matured a bit,everything will settle of it's own accord.
With fish in the tank, I would feed sparingly perhaps once every other day a tiny amount. Would not attempt to clean the filter for this area is where the Lions share of Beneficial bacteria develops. If you aren't over feeding,then the filter should not need cleaning for some time.
Water changes will not slow the process to any measurable degree, and I would perform 25 to 30 percent water change any time ammonia or nitrites rose to .25 or more as measured with test kit.
Would not add any more fishes for the next three weeks and after that,,, I would add one or two fish at a time with a week in between new additions and I would perform once a week water change of 25 to 30 percent each week without fail.
The bacteria that develops in your aquarium will be in proportion to the load on the filter,(The two Danios and foods offered) Adding too many fishes at once or overfeeding,will result in elevated ammonia level's which will quickly have negative effect on the fish.Slow and steady is the best approach.

 

[KittyKat]

Do 50% water change with warm dechlorinated water now and every day until you have the kit

Why? Because ammonia and nitrite over 0.25 ppm are very toxic to fish.

So, for example, in a 100 gallon tank, cycled with 1 5cm fish, the ammonia is very unlikely to even be readable, so water changes here won't do anything at all. On the other hand, in a 20 gallon tank with 2 (or 4) 5cm fish is a completely different story: your nitrite is already at toxic levels (enough to harm the fish) and very likely your ammonia is too.. so it is important to remove most of both with water changes.

A tank can by cycled with unreadable amounts of ammonia and nitrite (but there won't be many spare bacteria then), so not letting them go through the roof is not a problem.

 

[waterdrop]

Agree with KK. A reading of .5, even from a paper test is a warning sign that significantly larger changes are needed for now and I expect 50% would probably do it. WD