1. I've been a mid-term investor for about 10 years, daily charts and various stocks. But I moved to day trading the QQQ specifically, only. I wanted to learn one vehicle and learn it's behavior well.
2. I use the 5m for my S/R levels, have the 5m, 3m, and 1m up, and watch for certain patterns. I get in on the 1m, and depending on where the S/R levels are...get out or stay in.
3. Usually I just use a market order, both in and out. But I have caught myself "hoping" a bit when it goes against me. This is dangerous on the 1m because you can hope yourself all the way to the 5m support/resistance.....which could be very bad. So I recently started using an automated stop. If I get stopped out and it turns back around, I can always get back in. But that hope has gotten me into trouble that was painful 3 times. 3 x's too many.
4. Tradestation. I really like it. Charts are a bit different than TOS, but I have everything that I need. I loved TOS, but it screwed me with some lagging confirmations (like 10-minute lags!) that kept me stuck in trades that went in the other direction. I complained, and they said because I finally was able to get out, that they couldn't help me. If I had stayed in, all the while watching my money disappear, then they could have cancelled the order. They admitted that the MM didn't get my confirmation back to them for a very long time but did not care. That was it for me. I left.
Oh, and lastly....I am almost always out of the market by 9:30 a.m. PST. I have another job to get to.