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On some tanks I've been looking at then there's usually a black plastic trim around the the top with a black bar passing the middle. Do you need it, like can you cut it off?

I think that is just for a lid that snaps on or something...your tank dont even need all the trim its self, it just has that to make it look nice and to make it balance. if you take off all the bottom trim it wont do anything to the tank...same with the top, but if you take off the top trim it will be hard to use a glass/plastic lid..

on some larger tanks, that bar that runs through the middle is there for structural stability. In other words it keeps the tank from bowing out and breaking at the top.

if your trim doesn't have a cross-bar like it does on most tank aver 50 gallons, it's probably safe to take it off. Just be carful of the sharp glass edges, of course.

Dont take the trim off. It there is a center brace don't remove it. Its there for a reason. I had a 46gal Bow front and I was told it was ok to cut it for a project I was doing. As soon as I did cut it I watched the walls of the tank bow out 1/4 of a inch more.

ya i wouldnt thats there to make the tank stable

i would play it safe and leave it. I tried taking one of a smaller tank and all that happened is it cracked the tank.