Cycling question for a beginner!?

I have a 33g fresh water fish tank, with a hang on the back bio-wheel filter system. Ive been cycling with 6 dianos for 5 weeks. I do 25% water changes every 2 to 3 days. The ammonia is at 0ppm and the nitrites are at 3.0ppm which is high I know, and the nitrates are between .5 and 1.0 (test strip so hard to tell) anyways I know im really close to being fully cycled..A pet store worker told me to wait a week(which is in like two days) and i can add the fish i have been waiting for..Im going to give away the dianos and add two african cichlids, and then more over time..should I wait, or will they be ok, the dianos are just fine, but they could be used to the conditions... Is there anything i can do to get the nitrites down...Thanks for any help you can give:)