Yeah i ended up smoking that bowl for 3 hours. Ever since I started using the foil test recommended by Eric, I haven't had any problems with overpacking.
Also my grommet is a little bit small for the bowl, even though its the one that came with it. I've realized the importance of putting the grommet snugly onto the hookah first, then sliding the bowl over it. If I insert the grommet into the bowl first and then onto the hookah, I can't get nearly as tight of a seal.