So, after starterattempt #1 turned to water after a week of nurturing, and starter attempt #2 just failed to start, and starter attempt #3 started well, then seemed to stall out after a week or so, I finally have success! I had been growing starter #3 in a glass mixing cup with plastic wrap loosely covering the top. Yesterday while shopping I picked up a glass lidded glass jar to be the permanent home for my starter, should it ever start. I tossed rebellious #3 when I got home, just in case it decided to live. A couple/few hours later, I noticed it had begun to bubble and had risen about a third! This morning I fed it on it's regular schedule, and this evening it has doubled in size. Finally! I fed it again, with hopes of making actual bread tomorrow.
I'm not sure why putting into the jar got the starter going again, but I think I'm going to be satisfied that it did and not ask too many questions! I wonder if the thicker covering kept it just a little warmer than the thin sheet of plastic...
This starter was done 100% with filtered water and whole wheat flour. I resisted using rye flour or any other "additive" just to see if I could get it to work. Knowing it's possible, so it seemed like an adventure to give it a try, I guess sort of a culinary safari, as it were... I couldn't be happier!
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Or, the starter was about to take off, and just needed a little more oxygen to get going?
I don't know. But it's not uncommon in commercial practice to punch a slow dough in hopes of stimulating it. Whether it really causes anything to happen or it's just that the timing's favorable, sometimes it works.
At any rate, when you've got a good horse, ride it.
Good luck,
Muff
The bottom line is you have a starter. I have heard that the bacteria get active first in a new starter then after a few days the activity dies down. The yeast take off after the lull in the activity. I don't think I have ever seen this in any starter I have made but have read about it more than once. Seems maybe that is what happened with your starter.