No, you don't want to set the pot in the water tray. The soil will indeed "wick up" the water and establish a Perched Water Table (PWT), making that portion of the soil deadly to roots (drowning). The drums are perforated to prevent a PWT forming from e.g. rain or top watering, but they must be free to drain.
Ron could just go with top watering and they'd be fine. But he's trying to make life easier by putting together a self-watering contraption.
BTW, Ron, you said that you'd refill the trays every day. If you're going to be out slinging water every day, then the bottom-watering arrangement isn't saving you anything, is it?
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Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out?
- Will Rogers
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