Yes, they should be kept moist for germination. And TeeGees suggestions are what I use and I water the capillary matting daily.
Or you could use:
Top Tips / Re: Self-regulating capillary mat watering (with budgie waterer).
- and refresh the water bottles every 2 or 3 weeks.
Cheers.
PS. capillary systems do a better job - but the biggest advantage is what they do better than any other system - actually taking excess water OUT of the pots on the mat. This is at its most significant when overwintering Citrus, when a knife-edge level of dampness is critical.
Incidentally, when you plant into the soil - well, that's a capillary system too.