If you trade sticks the ES is better than NQ IMHO. In fact if you trade ES, the SP sticks are better yet because of their .10 tick. I find the NQ a little whacky for classical candelstick signals.
Aren't the spreads tighter with QQQ than with NQ? Plus, Globex likes to crash doesn't it? And with an equities broker your money is SIPC insured. How about with futures? And aren't the e-mini's more volatile than QQQ? What good is that? Aren't the e-mini's manipulated? And who says QQQ is not liquid enough? I see 1 million share trades go off on QQQ. What would be the equivalent with NQ? I need more convincing that NQ is better than QQQ. If it is easier to trade QQQ than NQ, than why trade NQ? And who is more stable, equity brokers or futures brokers?
well, not all this is true. the first part pretty much but : the futures have the same volatility. The leverage makes the difference in $ at risk. but it works both ways (against and for you). The signals are mostly the same for QQQ and NQ. However NQ is leading and commissions are much lower making you profitable before you will be with QQQ (the leverage helps there). mini manipulated ? well, if they are so is QQQ since it tracks precisely the mini. NQ is not more difficult to trade, although I don't know what you mean by that. You are as fast getting in or out. the leverage puts more $ at risk but on the other hand you use less $ in your account. some futures brokers are as stable as equity brokers even though not insured.
It is easier to grow as a trader with the minis compared to the QQQ's. Trading the QQQ's on Island, you can only get a certain amount of shares at one price level, by trading the minis, you can trade 1 Round Turn and progress to double digits without having to pay different prices.
You said "I notice the spread is .25, does this hurt or help if you are going for .10 - .20 cent moves in the index?" I'm not sure where you saw that - the minimum tick on the emini-nasdaq is .50, so the spread is always going to be .50 or more. It is usually .50 during the regular trading hours.