Unfortunately keeping succulents or cacti in ordinary soil often ends up with compaction of the soil and water doesn't penetrate. The best way to prevent it is to add coarse sand. What works well for me is to go to a rural area which has sandy roads and collect the coarse sand that you find in the centre and the edges. Coarse sand from a river also works well. This can be sieved to keep the larger particles and remove the dust and mixed with the soil from the yard and a little compost.
RE: Repairing my cactus and succulent garden