Seems like a very basic setup... Do you have a chiller... The Gonio is not doing well is mainly due to the temp if you dun have chiller, started out like that for me 7 years back.. If you have a chiller then it might be due to something else and Gonio are not easy to keep to start with... Anyway, it is normal for leather to remain closed and slimy, it is going through the shedding mode.. It will happen every 1-2 months and can last anywhere from a few day to months... Cause of it still unknown to me..