🚀 go-pugleaf

I am not a materials scientist, but I regularly read this group with interest. 
I just found an interesting material that solved an awkward problem for me. 
To support a large Christmas tree, I built a wood stand that included a plastic
water pot that was intended to be nailed between tree butt and wooden supports.
It was supposed  to be self-sealing, but mine wasn't quite. Drip, drip, drip.

What to do? Large heavy tree is already erected on a stand that can't be removed
non-destructively. No direct access to either side of the leak. It's not real 
easy to even drain the pot. Drip, drip, drip.

Spoke with a garden shop in Beaverton that sets up trees for many local 
merchants. This guy is to Christmas tree stands as Col. Sanders is to chicken. 
Without hesitation, he recommended a product called Water Grabber, a little 
packet of granules. The package says "A water retention additive for 
plants", "Stores water", and "contains polyacrylamide".

I added a packet to the water in the pan, mixed another packet with about 
1 pt of water, and poured that in. It soon changed the liquid to a wet 
gel.

Result: in 30 minutes, the leak stopped. It's been dry ever since, 
(over a week) even when there is free liquid in the pan.

I'm pleased with this solution (pun inadvertent). Hope someone else can
benefit from this experience.

I would not recommend it for leaking aquariums.