@arcane Welcome to Mayo Connect, where people can share their health stories and talk about what helps.
I too was the adult recipient of "tubes" in my ears.
My ENT explained that there is often both liquid and sticky mucus in our ears. In my case, the liquid poured out immediately after the puncture, but it took a number of weeks for the rest to seep out and the crackling to stop.
As for the inability to clear your ears, there is now a hole in the eardrum, so forced air goes out through the stent, and does not create the air pressure to pop your ears.

So, based on my experience, your situation is typical. Just be cautious about water in your ears (I wore silicon ear plugs when swimming) which can cause an inner ear infection. And be aware of any bloody or puss-like discharge.