Just to add to point number 3.
ECN execution and true ECN accounts are different. Many market maker accounts that do not place your trades directly into the market are not true ECN, market makers hedge off your trades with the rest of their clients into a pool. Eventually the market maker will have a total pool of net shorts and a total pool of net longs, the difference is then placed onto the market to offset the total risk.
True ECN accounts mean that you trade gets directly placed into the market...and for a True ECN account you will be looking at nothing less than a $10,000 deposit.
You learn more looking for the answer to a question than you do being told the answer straight away.