Return pump and sump questions

[POLARBEAR0871]

What exactly is the purpose of a return pump? What does it do? Does it filter water? Same with a sump what do they do? Also if I wanted one how do I go about getting/building one?

[Breakthecycle2]

ummm.....

[POLARBEAR0871]

I'm new I never understood how they worked don't judge I'm 16

[carey]

Return pump goes into your sump and pumps the water from below in the sump to your tank. BUT you would have to have a way of getting the water from your tank down below into your sump. You could drill the tank OR get a hangon back overflow.
The sump is useful to put all your equipment like heaters and it will increase the amount of water you have in your system which helps make it easier to take care. More water volume the better...

[POLARBEAR0871]

So is there a place I could possibly go to to get a cheap sump??? I could build return pump I think with some PVC pipes and some other equipment from the fish store.