Most plating operations involve a phase control circuit, then rectification via SCR's and or large diodes, in either full bridge or half bridge arrangement. As has been said above, its the current you need to control, not the voltage. With the correct bath solution, you will get conduction at low voltage, and then you need to have the curent available to drive what is nearly a short circuit.
Industrial plating / anodizing power supplies are generally operating from about 5 volts up to 25 volts, with well over 10,000 Amps available.
You may have a problem with you chemicals, or you sacrificial electrodes being contaminated.