A different approach to the long/short reverb is to have one or more of the following:
 
Blend Reverb
Size Reverb
Width Reverb
Tone Reverb
Sustain Reverb
 
These are all discussed in depth in Mike Senior's "Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio"
 

Bristol_Jonesey Mike Senior's "Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio"
 

http://www.cambridge-mt.com/MixingSecrets.htm
 
great book!

if you use reverb sends on individual channels,
automation is cool....
and if you DO automation, 
a tip:
i always set the send level at ZERO first, THEN add the automation,
then it's all the way down, and you can bring it up at will using nodes....
 
now, if i have a lot of background vox, for example...
and i want reverb on all of them...
rather than doing it to individual tracks,
just create a new sub bus, routed to the master..
and send all the backups to THAT new bus,
and automate reverb on just the bus.
 
easy peasy, quick, and so easy to mix.
 
in fact, i've done entire mixes where the individual faders were all 'up', 
everything routed to sub busses, and the entire mix done with automation on JUST the sub busses.
 
 

One thing to consider is where delays are relative to verb. Do you want verb on the delay? How much?

Another thing to try is a little tempo sync delay on the verb alone.. meaning little or no delay on the original source.. just delay on the verb of the source. That can be cool too... and super subtle.

Ok, first maybe try using one verb or one delay to practice. I tend to use 3 or 4 or more delays and verbs when I'm mixing depending on type of track, but for a newb...stick to one of each.
 
Second, gain structure. As long as your mix track is correctly gain staged...set the send to -3 or set the send to the verb or delay buss to -3. The chain for a verb should be the verb first, then I tend to use a separate EQ, not always, rather than the supplied ones which you find on the verb. This is because I like to add some flavor, or I tend to use an emulator...I'm not going to give all my tricks lol. Unless you're trying to simulate a hall or a stadium, use a shelving filter and set the hi-shelf to about 4khz and the low-shelf to about 80hz, but use your ears to get use to what your hearing before being a bit of set and leave person...that takes time :). This emulates the basic sound of a room's EQ. Remember if you use a separate EQ rather than the supplied EQs on verb...set the Verb's one to ZERO. Now if you're using platinum or a version of Sonar that has the Pro Channel, after the verb, and the EQ use the Tape Console emulator, and use the rec and playback knobs to set the gain structure to around -18 rms. This chain and gain structure can be used for both delays and verb. If you're using the console emulator, you're probably not, but I do...then a bus console emulator. This helps with the edges of the transients. You can then use the fader to set the level, use your ears to work out how much delay and verb the mix or track needs.
 
 
Now if you're very tricky like me...I tend to use a couple of special effects to increase depth of field to all my verbs and delays...depending of course on mix. But this is beyond a newb IMO, and will only confuse you...plus I'm not giving all my tricks away :).
 
Here is a demonstration of my verb and delay technique...so you get an idea that it works and works well...maybe listen in headphones to because you should be able to hear the verbs and delays wrap around your head due to my depth of field trick. https://youtu.be/46MA8Uw1w8c 
 
Ben
   

Cheers everyone!