This is my first time making a starter and I’m pretty sure I’ve either killed it or it hit its peak a long time ago. I’ve started it over 2 weeks ago. At first it was rising and producing a lot of bubbles on top, but now it does pretty much nothing. Barely any bubbles after feeding and it doesn’t rise. I’ve been feeding it every 24 hours and I have been doing the float test EVERY DAY since I started it. It has never floated in the slightest. Is there any way to revive it or is it toast? (get it)
I think your starter might indeed be 'toast' if you started it over two weeks ago and you've got no bubbles and no rise. I wouldn't bother with a float test without evidence of a lot of bubbles and increased volume either. I had attempted to create a sourdough starter multiple times in the past, with different recipes (including the pineapple juice method), but ended up having the best luck with organic rye flour, which established itself like a dream very quickly with routine feeding in about 5 days, and baked with it in about 8 days. I was then able to 'transition' the starter to a lighter version, using a mix of mostly AP flour/whole wheat/rye at about 65/25/10 ratio for all feedings. I've neglected it in the fridge for up to 3 weeks and was able to revive it without difficulty, but usually only leave it in the fridge for a few days--I've been baking with it for years and actually split it off into a second 100% AP version too! I hope you will give it another shot. Don't give up!
This time, take a couple spoonfuls of the starter, another spoonful of water, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Let that sit, covered, in a warm place; warm being 70-80F. Then wait. As long as it takes. With any luck, it should start to expand, even if it takes a day or two. It will also help if the container you put it in is comparatively narrow and tall so that the expansion is easy to see, with a volume that will allow the starter to triple in size once it starts growing.
The photo you provided appears to be rather liquid in consistency. If so, it probably can't trap bubbles and, therefore, can't expand.
If you want to start again, you certainly may. But you might want to try the suggested test first to see if it can save you another couple of weeks of waiting.
Paul
My starter is 3 weeks old and it had not shown any activities since day 2. At least you're better than me because you have enough patience to feed it every single day which I could not do. Since I was so desperate and did not care much about my hopeless starter, I decided to take a risk and to feed it with pineapple juice. Can you believe that the juice just brought it back to life? It is now very bubbling and did double in size after the second feeding. Give it a go. Good luck to ya!