Are plastic molds on top of tanks structural?

[sean48183]

I just bought a 150g that has these flimsy black plastic peices on the topwith no center brace and thought they might just be for holding a lid. But now I am wondering if these are supposed to hold the top of the tank together. Does anyone know about this?

[xian]

Usually they are. I would carefully inspect the tank to make sure it doesn't bow.

[nick18tjetta]

My LFS pulls them of the 30 gallon tanks they make sumps out of. I wouldn't pull it off a 150g though, even though I don't know if it does much.