Camera Controls
| Action | Effect |
|---|---|
| Drag | Rotate view (horizontal & vertical) |
| Right-drag / 2-finger drag | Pan camera |
| Scroll (empty area) | Zoom in / out |
| Space + drag | Move the camera pivot point (shift the anchor to see deep or far corners) |
| ↻ Reset button | Return to initial view (top-left canvas button) |
| 🔒 Camera lock / K key | Freeze the view (no rotate/pan, zoom only). Press again to unlock |
Navigation
The top navigation bar appears for 2 seconds on first visit, then collapses automatically. Click the center tab to expand/collapse it. Blog, Library, and Help links are accessible from here.
Placing Assets
Open a category in the right panel (rocks, driftwood, plants, etc.) and click an asset name to place it at the center of the tank.
- After placing, drag it to any position
- Substrate and plants snap automatically to the bottom surface
- Creatures (fish, etc.) begin swimming automatically once placed
Brush Placement: Moss & Carpet Plants
Moss and carpet-type plants can be painted on by dragging, instead of placing one at a time. This lets you cover an area with a natural-looking patch in one motion.
- Moss brush: Start from the “Moss Brush” button in the Plants category. Drag across the surface of rocks, driftwood, or the substrate to grow moss there. Adjust the brush size with the slider, and use “Clear All” to start over. Click the button again to finish.
- Carpet brush: From “Freehand Brush” in the Plants category, first pick the plant you want to paint with, then set the brush size and density (Coarse / Normal / Fine) and click “Start Brush.” Drag across the substrate to spread the plant. Click “End Brush (Confirm)” to finalize the placement.
Adjusting Selected Items
Click an item to select it, then use the scroll wheel to adjust along each axis.
| Action | Effect |
|---|---|
| Scroll | Y-axis rotation |
| Shift + scroll | Height (up / down) |
| Ctrl + scroll | Forward/back tilt (X-axis) |
| Ctrl + Shift + scroll | Left/right tilt (Z-axis) |
| Alt + drag | Duplicate and move item |
| ↑↓←→ keys | Move selected item (0.5 cm steps; Alt for 0.1 cm) |
| L key | Lock / unlock selected item |
Use the delete button (×) in the toolbar to remove the selected item.
Use the lock button (🔒) or L key to lock/unlock. While locked, moving, deleting, and duplicating are disabled. Press again to unlock.
Keyboard Shortcuts
With an item selected, you can work quickly from the keyboard. On Mac, use the ⌘ (Command) key instead of Ctrl.
| Keys | Effect |
|---|---|
| ↑↓←→ | Move selected item (0.5 cm) |
| Alt + ↑↓←→ | Fine move (0.1 cm) |
| Shift + ↑↓ | Height (up / down) |
| Ctrl + ↑↓ | Forward/back tilt |
| Ctrl + Shift + ↑↓ | Left/right tilt |
| Ctrl + G / Ctrl + Shift + G | Group / Ungroup |
| Ctrl + C | Copy selected item(s) |
| Ctrl + V / Ctrl + Shift + V | Paste (offset / in place) |
| Ctrl + Z / Ctrl + Shift + Z | Undo / Redo |
| Ctrl + S / Ctrl + O | Save / Open layout |
| L | Lock / unlock selected item |
| K | Camera lock (freeze rotate/pan, zoom only) |
| Delete / Backspace | Delete selected item |
Height, tilt, move, copy, and grouping all apply to a group as a whole. Paste keeps the group structure intact, and Undo/Redo covers placement actions in general.
Grouping
Move multiple assets together as a unit.
- Shift+click to select multiple assets
- When two or more are selected, a “Group” button appears in the toolbar. Click it to treat them as one unit
- After grouping, dragging any one piece moves the whole group
- Click “Ungroup” to dissolve the group
Substrate Editor
Adjust substrate shape, slope, and height from “Substrate” in the right panel.
- Choose a base preset (Flat, Slope Up, Center Mount)
- Use sliders to set front height, back height, side tilt, and center peak individually
- Click color buttons to switch between black soil, brown soil, river gravel, and white sand
- While carpet plants are placed, the “Plant Lock” button switches to bottom-snap mode
Equipment Placement
Place equipment from “Filter,” “Filter Pipe,” and “Light” in the right panel.
- Floor equipment (external filter): Placed on the floor. Scroll to rotate.
- Rim equipment (filter pipe): Positioned along the tank edge. Use the toolbar rotate button to switch sides.
- Lighting: Placed above the tank. Shift+scroll to adjust height.
Budget Simulator
Click the icon at the bottom-left of the preview area to open the budget simulator.
- Tank, cabinet, and substrate are always shown. Placed assets are automatically added to the list
- Click any price field to type in the amount you found on Amazon
- The total updates in real time
- Use the “Search on Amazon →” link at the bottom of each category to shop
Saving & Loading Layouts
Use the buttons at the top of the right panel to save and load layout data as JSON.
- Save: Saves placed assets plus cabinet color, substrate color, water level, background screen, and budget notes to a JSON file
- Open: Select a saved JSON to restore the full layout and settings
- New: Clear everything and start fresh
- Data is never sent outside your browser (local processing only)
FAQ
Q. Do I need to register or create an account?
A. No. It works immediately on first visit.
Q. Where is my layout saved?
A. Only in your browser’s memory. It disappears when you close the tab, so use the Save button to export a JSON file.
Q. Does it work on smartphones or tablets?
A. We recommend a PC browser. It runs on tablets (landscape) but some controls are limited.
Q. What if it’s slow or laggy?
A. Update your browser to the latest version and make sure GPU acceleration is enabled (Chrome: Settings → System → Use hardware acceleration when available).
Q. How do I report a bug or request a feature?
A. Email us at the address on the About page.