This past storm was the 2nd when powers been out and I've had my tank up and running. first time was Irene, and I was without power for 3 days... this past storm, I was without power for 2.5 days.
I didn't lose any fish or corals in both storms. I have a 29g biocube, so maybe it's easier to manage when the power goes out. but I think you could scale up what I did:
- Get a battery powered air pump and air stone. They are about $12 and take 2 D batteries. I'd get several for larger tanks, and spread them down the length. Oxygen will get depleted faster than temp decreases, so that's your first priority.
- The first storm I didn't need to worry about temp too much, but this past one I did. I put every throw blanket I had over and around the tank (and a camping sleeping bag on top of it all). You want to minimize heat transfer out of the water so you need to insulate it as best you can.
- once a day I heated up some water on a camping stove (just shy of boiling), poured it into some plastic water bottles, then floated those bottles to raise the temperature. Within about an hour of doing this several times (I had 3 bottles rotating in and out)... I raised the temperature about 3 degrees from 69/70 to about 72-73. My house was about 51 degrees at the lowest temp, and with all the blankets, only lost about 7 or so degrees that first day.
- also about once a day, I dunked a cup and poured it in creating bubbles and a little bit of flow to mix stuff up and help oxygenate. Did this for about 5 minutes. While doing it, fish and inverts all came out and started swimming around a little bit.
Obviously all this would be unnecessary when I get a generator (I actually had an electrician ordering all the stuff before this past storm, but who expects a power knocking october snow storm besides the Spanish Inquisition?). But the above cost me about $20 worth of emergency equipment (pump and batteries) and saved my tank inhabitants.
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