I don't understand formicarium hydration

[Aaron567]

I've been wondering about this every since I got into the ant hobby, which is for about a month. How does a formicarium get hydrated? I know this may seem like the dumbest question, but I am so confused. On every formicarium, it looks like the little pool that holds water isn't even connected to where the ants are. For example, every time I watch a tutorial on Youtube of how to make a plaster or grout formicarium, they always make a long chamber (not connected to the ant tunnels) and say it is the "hydration system." It seems that other formicariums do not even have this, but can someone explain to me how the nest stays humid enough?

I do not have any colonies yet, but I obviously have to know this for when I do have my future Solenopsis colony!

[martinnate]

The plaster absorbs the water, and its only on one side because ants like variation of moisture. If you watch the tutorials on AntsCanada.com it will help. I'm new to this too, and after watching them I found my 1st queen last June (Crematogaster) and my 2nd queen this past March (Companotus).

[idahoantgirl]

Plaster absorbes water and spreads it throughout the nest. The omni nest has very small spaces in the walls so that the hydration chamber's water can slide through the walls and hydrate the nest. the hybrid nest has a base that you fill with wet cotton. I think that this water evaporates into the nest??? (anyone can correct me if I'm wrong) I'm not a big science person

[larynx]

capillary action.