Hi Ashley, I 'm beginning to think the grey layer isn't hooch and might be due to oxidation. I've noticed my whole wheat starter often exhibits a greyish hue on the surface, but usually this develops over the course of the week when I store it in the refrigerator. The 2:1:1 ratio is meant to encourage more acidity in a starter that hasn't shown much yeast activity during the creation phase, so I'm not sure this applies to your already established sourdough starter. Your cool home temperatures may be slowing down your starter, so you might try sticking your starter in a slightly warmer spot. The Brita filter should work fine for feeding your starter, but be sure that it is kept clean and doesn't show any signs of algae growth, which can cause issues. It's possible that your water may be affecting your starter, but generally water that is suitable for drinking will work fine for feeding your starter. Here's an interesting article about water in bread baking. Is your starter fed with all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour? How much starter are you maintaining and it what size jar? How is it covered? I would stick to the twice day feedings and try sticking your starter in a slightly warmer spot and see if this improves matters. Barb

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