Do you mean simply algo trading? There is absolutely zero chance whatsoever that you will compete in any way with institutional hft.also with 1k what are you planning on trading without pdt and other restrictions?
Probably? I don't really know anything about the field at all just seemed fun, I'm purely interested in this from an intellectual standpoint so competing isn't really my end goal just want to understand the systems.
Take a pile of money, burn it.
Obviously I'm joking, but I would assume that the local nature of HFT basically means you have to be a big-gun to play without losing your money.