How to make this look good...

[Ellie Potts]

This is my 55 gallon aquarium and I'd really like it to be a heavily planted tank but I'm not sure how to improve on it. The bottom is really hectic but the middle is just empty. Because it's a standard 55, it's really tall and it's hard to buy plants (or reasonably priced decor) that are of that size. I don't really want to wait for my java ferns to double in size for the tank to look great. Any ideas to fill it out? Preferably beginner friendly
Current plants: Java fern, java moss, anubias (many kinds), hornwort, rotala rotundifolia, duckweed, water wisteria
Temperature: 80 degrees
Light cycle: I keep the light on for 10 hours a day. Light level is pretty low due to duckweed and the size of the tank.
Fertilizer: I use root tabs, but do not use water fertilizer
Aeration: I've read that the spray bar helps with water aeration, but I'm not sure. I don't have an airpump, but could get one.

 

[CassCats]

Id get some water sprite and hygrophila polysperma to offer the bulk of the bushy plants, they'd fill in very well in this tank. Kinda try to frame around the Buddha statue with some of the hygro and change some of the placements of the other statues too. Perhaps some smaller crypt plants in the foreground surrounding the smaller statues

 

[Munroco]

Maybe start from the top with some water lettuce. The roots will soon stretch at least half way down.

 

[Ellie Potts]

Id get some water sprite and hygrophila polysperma to offer the bulk of the bushy plants, they'd fill in very well in this tank. Kinda try to frame around the Buddha statue with some of the hygro and change some of the placements of the other statues too. Perhaps some smaller crypt plants in the foreground surrounding the smaller statues
View attachment 123366

I'll have to order some of the hygrophila polysperma. Thanks! I'll post pictures when I get it looking nice