I agree there is lots of info out there! Even the experts don't always agree. You will probably need to follow the one that sounds best.
Countilaw's first post made some good points. Overcharging creates heat, which quickly degrades the battery. They should never get so hot that you can't hold them for a couple minutes.
It sounds like you're doing fine. Nimhs do increase their capacity a bit with each cycle from first use. Takes about 5-6 charge cycles for them to settle down. If your charger doesn't display milliamperes in/out, you should get one that does. That's the best way to see how much energy (ma) you've put in.
For storage, the battery shouldn't be stored in a discharged state. Charge to 50% is good. TBH, I've left many packs stored with a full charge and it hasn't hurt them. If not flying for months, it's good to recharge to the 50% point.