Another Lighting Question

[scbrooks87]

Ok here goes... (I hope this will be in the right section!)

I am coming up with my tank plan... This will be my first REAL attempt at a solid freshwater tank. Don't have anything for it yet, because I am waiting to buy till I know what all I need. I am on to the lighting phase now.

Here is what I have so far in the plan:
Tank- Standard 40 breeder

Stand- DIY plywood stand

Filtration- Fluval 406, DIY spray bar to spread the flow

Heat- Hydor 200 ETH inline heater

Substrate- Either Eco Complete, or ADA new amazonia aqua soil... or a mix of both!

Now for the lighting... I am thinking I can use the Finnex Ray 2, but here are my only doubts. As I will be pretty darn new to freshwater, I am wanting to go semi low-tech. I say semi low-tech because I don't want to get into co2 quiiiiite yet. (Fiance has some say in that lol.) I don't want to go COMPLETELY low tech though to the point of nothing but water and plants and hope for the best. I am wondering if I can get away with the Ray 2, and dose flourish excel to add the carbon needed by the plants in hopes to prevent some algae. Also, I'm figuring I can go for the Ray 2 over say the fugeray as I can always reduce light, but can't always increase it. I can hang it to raise above the tank, or use a diffuser of some sort from the hardware store to bring it down a bit.

What do you guys think?

Thanks!
-Scott