An eclipse12 (12Gallon) without heater, gravel and decor goes for about $75 at an on-line fish store. This is an acrylic tank with a light and bio-wheel filter built into the hood. I would say if you sold yours with the heater the most you would get is $60 (or less when shipping is involved, you cant compete with bulk shippers like Drs Foster Smith). Are you going with a fish only salt water, Fish only with live rock(FOWLR), or reef?

Here is a link that might be useful: Good sight for Salt Water research

Wow..I don't know. I assumed the coral live rock look. I use to have 70 gallon Discus tank along with a few other fish. My husband is strongly supporting me to go saltwater. I have/am so afraid to go that direction. So there is the reef, live rock of flower appearance. Amazing. What I thought was to get as large aquarium that I could afford. Then save for the stand and equipment. The tank will be new that I can get in another state around 104 miles from me. My husband thinks we could buy a kitchen cabinet stand for the tank. As an Engineer he will do a stress analsis to make sure we have no accidents. Also apply a finish oak stain on the stand. Before I place fish or live rocks or reef, I thought I would research the compatibilty and plan how I will set the tank up. So this is not going to be a quick project. Thanks for the link. I will save it. I have so much to learn. I also have a 2,500 gallon pond of Koi outside.
Theresa

A kitchen cabinet would work fine if it is re-inforced. For a SW set up, besides fish only, you have to take into account the weight of the tank it self (large tanks like 125G are really heavy, I'd guess 100lbs.) the sand, lots of rock and water. I would guess you need something that could hold a stocked aquarium at the rate of 12lbs per gallon. Also check your flooring for stability. Wouldn't want your aquarium to end up in the basement. I build my own stands. I use 2X4's or 2X6's (2X6's at home depot are almost the same price as 2X4's) and make a "workbench" type frame. Then use nicer hardwood for a "skin". I suppose you could get the cabinet and use it as a "skin" or even just cabinet doors and but them next to each other. FOWLR = Fish Only With Live Rock. Live rock is a calicte or similar rock that has beneficial algae growth on it. The algae works like a fresh water plant processing ammonia, nitrite and nitrates. The rock is just a host. This algae only grows on rock that is rich in calcium. I would go with the FOWLR if not reef. It gets a little more costly with the live rock because of lighting but, IMO, the benefits and natural look are well worth the effort.It's like comparing plastic plants to live in a fresh water aquarium. While some people think that keeping the plants is too much work, I tink its easier and a much better system. A good thing to do is to take the online course at www.about.com. It explains the basics of the 3 set-ups. I plan on going saltwater soon myself. I will go with the FOWLR and graduate to the reef. Or just go for the gusto and go reef with some "beginer" corals and invertabrae. www.liveaquaria.com has a good reference for compatibility (reef safe fish). Also, down the road a pond in my backyard. That will be a huge project I live on a fairly steep incline.

Woisme,
Wow thanks for the introduction. So you are also venturing to saltwater but have more information then I do. My local fish store has wonderful live coral and fish. I was really thinking of that direction. As for plants...I will give you a hint i love waterlilies. So yes I would love all the natural living life in this aquarium. What is the difference from a reef aquarium and what do they mean by living sand? I had no idea what a FOWLR was and thought you were saying flower as a short cut until you explained. I have already priced those very bright hot lights for saltwater and they are very pricey but my husband wants me to stop the delaying and just go for it when I work, sell and save the money for each stage of this awquarium. Thank you so much for your helpful advice.
Theresa

Live sand is a "natural" sand usually aragonite sand or similar. It has "critters" (starfish and sea cucumbers to name some)in it that crawl through the sand bed, stirring it up enough to release built up gases. Sand is a tricky substrate because it can't be vacuumed like gravel and it compacts really tight if nothing stirs it up once in a while. The "critters" do the job for you keeping it a more like the eco-system we try to replicate in fishkeeping. If you really like live corals/anemones/polyps then you will need a "reef" set up. But like I said you can start with FOWLR and convert it more easily into a reef, then if you did a fish only with gravel. A fish only may be alot less expensive and somewhat "easier" because there is no need for expensive lighting and live rock. IMO the reef is a much more stable setup because you have alot of the other elements from a saltwater eco-system. The Reef is much more interesting to me because there is alot going on at once. Just fish to me is boring. Don't get me wrong I love the ish, but when all the elements are brought in together they compliment each other. To me nothing is more impressive then seeing various snails, crabs, and starfish crawling arround the rocks. Clownish "nesting" in anemones while the other ish are exploreing the corals----Awesome, living art. P.S. There are some sand products that claim to have live bacteria in them and are called "live sand". From what I have read it is a waste money. Also, you dont have to fill your aquarium with all established live rock. You can get base rock (much, much cheaper), which is just calicite (or similar) that has no growth on it. Place a few goood quality pieces of live rock along with them. The live rock, if water parameters and flow are met, will "seed" the base rock and in time the base or dead rock becomes live rock. To me this seems like a good idea to go before adding expensive corals and fish. At least you know that you are on the right track when the "dead" rock starts taking off and the live rock is healthy.