Skimmer top blew off (long post)

[Michael]

just wanted to share an experience I had on Dec. 30 that involved several hours to undo what I did. I use a Mag12 with a Klaes Junior skimmer.
I was moving things around...making the tank setup look nice by moving the equipment off to the side. I turned off the skimmer, and since I don't have a sump, I pump to the skimmer directly from my tank. I removed that hose from the tank, put it in a better place, and put it back in the water.
That's when the sh*t hit the fan! or water more accurately. When I started the pump, my skimmer lid exploded right off, and the skimmer top was full immediately. :shock:

Oh...I had kept water in the skimmer body to be more efficient (so I thought). It took me hours to clean up everything and get my tank back to normal.
--my analysis...since the intake for the pump was removed from the water, and hence was full of air, when I turned on the pump, the air was pushed to the skimmer that was full of water, and all that water just rode the air to the skimmer cup in a big bubble, and lots of air pressure.
-I'll always make sure to have an empty skimmer when doing this type of thing again, or gate the pump pressure down to minimal.

--Any other ideas as to what might of occurred?

Michael (learning something new everyday in this hobby)