The last thing you really want to do is tie a furnace cold air return into a fish room, evaporated salt water will eat up ducting and furnace components quite quickly. You need a separate exhaust fan. Unless you're going to seal everything with lids (sump and tank) you're building a classic mold closet, I've seen at least a dozen of times in my days. 
 
I'd stick with the melamine, it's cheap enough to replace down the road if need be and if you do a good job on the edge band it will be pretty well sealed. 
		
	
		
		
		
		
		
	
		
		
	
	
	 |