how often do you check the ph balance in your fish tank?

pretty much never. pH is very hard to change, and most fish aren't very picky. it's a common new fishkeeper mistake to think pH is the main test. what REALLY kills your fish is ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.

when pH changes in an established tank it's usually caused by something else, it's rarely just pH so I see no need to test for it. however, if you have a hard to keep fish that requires a certain pH range, testing should be done once a week with other maintenance (water change, other tests, algae scrubbing, ect...) to make sure it's in the right range. but other than that, pH testing is mostly a waste of money.

Personally, about once every week or two. Admittedly, though, this is overkill. I do it because I occasionally have access to really fun toys including digital probes of varying quality and LaMotte laboratory standard test kits. Now, if only the one YSI I have had access to was properly calibrated. =/

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Anywho, on the subject of keeping fish in the wrong pH, it is true that many (but not all) species of freshwater fish will tolerate a slow, gradual acclimation to an alien pH. However, if you want to see the best health and colors in your pets, you are best served to maintain a consistent pH most closely resembling their native conditions by slowly adjusting the pH to that level and maintaining with a quality buffer.

CR Brightwell writes on the subject of saltwater buffers:

"Buffers react in solution with acids, such as carbonic acid produced by microbial decomposition of organic material and respiration by aquarium residents, and help prevent the pH of the solution from lowering. This is very important for the continued health of the organisms in the system, whose ancestors have spent the past several million years evolving in an environment with a pH that has varied very little over short periods of time."

In the case of reef aquaria, appropriate pH becomes even more critical, as low pH inhibits the precipitation of calcium carbonate by corals, while high pH tends to lower calcium ion concentration - both will cause a general decline in coral growth and health over time.

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Wow, I even cited credible and commonly available sources to the average aquarist and got the thumbs down. Niiiiice.

I only check at the change of the seasons ... tap pH can vary then pretty widely.

Realistically,if you're doing your regular water changes (which balance your pH anyway),and your fish are thriving,then I wouldn't worry about it.

Drops-style kits are prefered for pH testing ... more accurate ... if you want to occasionally test.

It is recommended that, if you don't have one of those pH testers which can be stuck to the inside wall of your tank with a suction cup, you just buy the liquid water testers and check your pH weekly, along with your nitrites, nitrates and ammonia.

Approximately never.

It's nice to know what your local water pH is, but I dont adjust it anyway. If you are doing plenty of water changes your tank pH will be close to the tap pH. If it's not, you aren't doing enough water changes.

Ian

once a week, during my weekly maintenance. Fish can live happily in wrong PH but will suffer if PH swings.

Test kits are the only way, there are various types, try liquid that's the best. The sticks are not very efficient. Once a week onlong with ammonia nitrate and nitite

Rarely. Mine's a stable 8.4 with no swings. If you have a new tank though or unstable water then you should test weekly.

Never

totally pointless endevour

if your fish are alive then your pH is fine.

people just don;t understand how pointless, expensive and dangerous it is to manipulate pH levels.

i check all my water parameters every two weeks