Quick Troubleshooting

Symptom	Diagnosis	Fix
Dark liquid on top after fridge storage	Hooch — starter is hungry	Stir in or pour off, then feed normally
Pink/orange/red streaks	Bacterial contamination	Throw out the entire jar. Start over from your dried backup
Smells like nail polish remover (acetone)	Severely overhungry	Pour off any hooch, do 2–3 feedings 12 hr apart at room temp
Won't bubble after fridge storage	Dormant — needs warming up	Patience. Feed at room temp every 12 hr. Should respond within 2–3 feedings
Starter has been ignored for 2 months	Probably alive, definitely sleepy	Pour off hooch. Feed at room temp twice daily for 2–3 days
Smells aggressively sour like vinegar	Lactic acid bacteria dominant, yeast suppressed	Feed with a higher ratio (e.g., 1:5:5 — 10 g starter + 50 g flour + 50 g water) for a few cycles to rebalance
Mold (fuzzy spots, any color)	Genuine contamination	Throw out, sanitize jar, revive from dried backup