Aquarium Lily Placement

[Joel Steen]

I’ve got this bulb just sitting on top of the gravel and my snails keep pushing it to get under it. Picture 1 is how I found it, with the Lily’s kind of sneaking up from the bottom. Should those Lily’s be on top like in picture 2. I don’t see any roots in picture 3 and picture 4 is a better angle. Idk which side to place it on and can I push it into the gravel a bit to keep my snails from moving it?

[FrozenFins]

The lilly pads should be facing the surface of the water. So it looks like number two would be correct. I like to partially barry the bulb, and as it grows it'll grow a big root structue to holds its own against the snails.

[lefty o]

the first pic is the proper orientation, however it will overcome and grow upwards in most any position. if the snail is pushing it around, stick it half way into the substrate.

[ZoeyFish]

What you see coming out of the bulb is the lilies, not the roots.  These should be facing up towards the top of your tank.  As for placement of the bulb that's up to you.  Personally, I pretty much buried mine just beneath the substrate so that only the tip was just barely visible.  Here's a recent photo of my Tiger Lily from when I was doing some tank maintenance.  Mine took some time to establish but once it got going it's went crazy.  Good luck!