Use any kind of wheat, my favorite is rye followed but soft white wheat, I always switch it up.
I leave my wheat berries in the strainer or colander until they have sprouted so it is more convenient. Then you put the strainer over the bowl you used to soak the wheat.
Make sure everything you are using is really clean or sanitized as an extra precaution.
I don't recommend soaking wheat berries with tap water, rinsing and draining with tap water seems to be okay.
Distilled water does not work very well for fermenting, I advise not using it.
I only use purified water for the actual ferment. The chemicals in tap water can prohibit the lactobacilli from growing thus preventing the fermentation process.