BioCube 29g HQI - would love your opinions!

[WaterSplasher]

I do more reading than posting, but I wanted to get a little input from you experienced folks.

It's my first reef, but not my first aquarium. I've kept a few freshwater setups before, so I already understand about cycle, water quality, water changes, proper setup for livestock, compatibility, research, research, research.... did I mention research? Oh, and lots of research. The 29g is the largest I can afford with money and space.

What I have not been able to find so far is what corals are right for me and the tank? This is where I'd value your input. Here's some info you probably need:

-lighting is Coralife HQI double ended metal halide 150w 14,000K (sweet shimmer effect!)
-salt mix is the Brightwell Aquatics neomarine salt mix
-Eheim Jager 100w heater in chamber 1
-BC skimmer in chamber 1 (probably will replace it)
-carbon filter in chamber 2 (chaeto and LED refugium light will be added next week)
-stock pump, blue sponge and thermometer probe in chamber 3
-37 lbs cured live rock from LFS
-30 lbs live sand

After 8 days of running:
-0 Ammonia
-0 Nitrite
-2.5 Nitrate
-8.2 pH

But I don't trust it. I've never seen a tank cycle in a week. There's no expiry date on the test kit, so I have no idea if those readings are true. New API kits are on the way to include magnesium and calcium.

SG 1.026 (measured with a refractometer)
temp is 79 at night, 80 during the day with lights on for 10 hours (I know I don't need lights during the cycle, but I was testing the adjustment of distance needed between lights and glass to avoid temperature spikes)

I'm planning on LPS and softies. I'm not opposed to SPS, but I think I'll leave those for when I have a year or two experience under my belt.

My concern is that I'm afraid of burning the corals under my current lighting. Do you think they'll be ok or should I replace the lamp with fluorescents and save the MH for later? I don't want to end up having to place everything on the bottom.

Also, how do I know if I have dead zones in there? Should I rearrange the rock maybe?

Suggestions, comments, corrections welcome.