Noticeable clicking from crankset or bottom bracket
There are multiple components that can contribute to a clicking or grinding sound in your drive train in addition to the bottom bracket, including the chain, the pedals, the derailleur and the rear hub. That said, the symptoms you describe seem to indicate a problem with the  pedal bearings or the bottom bracket.

Here are my steps for troubleshooting the bottom bracket:


Pull your cranks laterally. Do they move?
Remove the chain from the chainrings and give your cranks a good spin; listen for any unusual grinding noise or little clicks.
Hold the down tube or seat tube while spinning the crank and see if you can feel grinding or vibration through the frame.


Any of those indicate that you need to service or replace your bottom bracket. That is not a particularly hard task, and if you have been removing or tightening the cranks you likely only need one or two special tools that you may not have. Replacing or repairing bottom brackets is a common task, so it may be worth it to you to pick those tools up. Here are some bottom bracket service instructions:

Cartridge Type Bottom Bracket Service

Cup and Cone Bottom Bracket Service