The cactus room at the Huntington changed how I pot everything now

I spent an afternoon in the desert greenhouse at the Huntington Library in San Angelo last month, and it wrecked my whole potting habit. I saw 40 year old agaves thriving in what looked like pure gravel with roots barely touching any soil, and it hit me that I'd been drowning my succulents in rich mix for years. So I switched to 70 percent pumice and grit for everything, and my string of pearls that had been sad for two years finally started pushing new growth. Now I'm wondering if I overcorrected, because my jade looks a little thirsty. Has anyone else made the jump to gritty mix after seeing plants grow in what looks like rubble?