Crystal Gathering too Slow

[GakkuPlove]

I am a culinarian, if you check my profile. I went from 14 to 23 on HQ turn in leves in about 30 minutes (not including gathering/crafting time) and a few more levels in between 23 to 26 and then from 26 to 28 (and a half) on 13 HQ turn ins yesterday. Crafting time for my HQ time was around 30 minutes and each of the 13 HQ turn ins were 18k xp and 600 gil each.

where do all the shards go and how are they replaced when your lvl 50? No one would be stupid enough to waste leves just for the sake of shards when they are lvl 50 for that craft
Poitions and food need to be replaced and that means Shards and gathering them

:Edit we only get a limited number of leves per hour too they run out pretty fast what will you do if you run out of shards then with the current gil shortage?