Quetion: What to do if power goese out?

Good advice from all. A generator such as what cuttingras specifies i.e. 5500 W will be more than enough to run just the tank, but why not keep the fridge, lights and ceiling fans going. A heater isn't going to be a concern, as I live where you do, and don't even own one. Our concern is the other end of the spectrum--the heat end.

Short of a generator, a power inverter and a good quality marine battery is the next less costly investment, and can run inductive loads such as power heads, pumps, and ballasts.

If you can't do any of the above, as Luna says; a battery-operated air pump will come in handy. Unfortunately it can't be relied upon to sustain life for very long.

 

And you don't either....could have bought a lot of coral and fish for what that thing cost.

It really depends on your budget for the generator. You also might want to think about how you are powering the motor. Best to go with LP as gas stations may be destroyed by the same event that took your power out. If you are not storing gas at your house in any large amount then once you run out of what you have then there will be no juice for the generator.