Nanos can be great tank for someone starting out or someone more experienced. I feel they are not as forgiving of a tank as a bigger one because less water volume. You can also be limited to the livestock you should be keeping as many of the fish that lure people into hobby are not suited for small setups.
I've had good luck with SPS and LED's. I am also looking to go with more of a t5 with LED combo in the near future.. As for having a nano tank. I think the best thing you could buy for it would be a reliable auto top off.