Yes, I used to know someone who had just such a setup as a lounge dispay, dispite having just about all the species available in her fishroom.
The ideal conditions for cardinals is murky acid water which is ideal for growing hard to propagate plants such as Amazon Swords etc. so it has a lot to offer.
A growlux tube will give relatively dim light while showing up the colours in the fish. If the light is still too harsh it can be shielded with a thin sheet of persplex painted in a 'army camouflage' fashion, with waterpaint so it can be altered as needed. This gives an unbelievable authentic look to the aquarium.