It seems for every person with a starter there is a different way to feed it.
I’m a once a week baker. I like to keep around 200g of Betty White (my starter’s name). I just like this amount. I do a no discard method. I calculate how much starter I need for the week, then I empty all Betty into a mixing bowl. Now I add 1:1 of water and flour for what I need and usually a little bit more to compensate for any loss on the spatula and the bowl. Then I leave it in a warm spot for a few hours, however long it takes to become bubbly. At this point I make my dough. And put the leftover 200g back in a newly clean jar for next week. If it’s under 200g I will give her a small snack before putting her back in the refrigerator.
Pictured is the one time I tried to feed Betty White in her jar.
I used to keep a liquid starter because I preferred the dairy flavour over the vinegary one. Also, I just got more consistent results over a stiff starter. Cleaning is easier because it’s watery AF. Cheaper maintenance feeds. Doesn’t expand out of the jar. Lot of good in a liquid starter.
So 5:1 water to flour Ish. To use it I’d just subtract the starter from the water in the baker math and it’d mostly work out.