Should I use an additive to my septic system?
No, Heck, No!

Every single offical source I have ever consulted explicitly states that they should not be used, and do more harm than good. Every bacterium required for the process lives inside you, and populates the tank "naturally."

Here is an excerpt from one: http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/environmental-health/plumb/top-ten-tips.htm


  
  You do not need to put special additives into your septic system. In fact, some can do more harm than good. Those which advertise that
  they will remove solids from your tank, usually do. The problem is
  that the solids exit the tank and end up in the disposal field. Once
  there, the solids seal off the disposal area, and the system
  malfunctions. Also, although it hurts nothing, it is not necessary to
  "seed" a new system with yeast, horse manure, and so forth. Normal
  human waste contains enough bacteria for the septic tank, and other
  microbes are already present in the soil and stones of the disposal
  area.
  


The problem with "products that liquefy sludge" is that you WANT the sludge to stay in the tank until it is pumped. if it gets into the drain field, it will cause the drain field to fail, and then you need a new drain field ($$$).

But there is plenty of unofficial bad advice on the internet, and elsewhere, if you want to  follow that instead. 

My advice for 


  the best way to ensure that I minimize problems with the system?


as a somewhat informed septic system owner, is that you should have the tank pumped and inspected (that should have been done as part of the "Title V" portion of the sales transaction, ideally - read the report, if it was done) and if it does not already have one, consider having a filter retrofitted onto the (or in place of the) exit Tee. Those can significantly improve the odds of NOT plugging the drain field; but they are not a substitute for regular maintenance (pumping of sludge).