On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 23:52:01 -0700 (PDT), Simon
wrote:

the times I've done that by accident, I've ended up with a stinking
mess, due to the anaerobic conditions (think pond scum, or if you live
in cold climates, the spring staunch when ice melts off the top of
ponds and lakes) . sure its good for the plants, after you let it
compost more in the open (aerobic conditions). but its not great if
you live by neighbors with sensitive noses.

thanks,
Simon

I have added yards of pond scum, azola, Anacharis, parrot feather,
algae and whatever else I can drag out of the water to the compost (My
spring-fed pond can be very active). There are fish, crayfish,
tadpoles and other things in it. It never has produced a foul odor,
maybe because I'm using round (rabbit) wire bins so more air gets to
the heaps. Strange to see the parrot feather still actively growing
after two weeks out of the water. A good cooking process should
produce steam and an earthy smell--but conditions may not be right all
the time. When it works as it should its almost magic especially if
you havn't seen it happen before. A gardener that doesn't have an
active compost pile is really missing something.