Suppose you change 50% of your water at once, this would mean (theoretically) that you're removing 50% of nitrates.
On the contrary, if you change 25% first, this would mean that you're removing 25% of nitrates (so 75% of the original level of nitrates is left). Then you'll have to top up with new salt water. Thereafter, removing 25% again on another day would mean that you're removing (in theory) 25% of the 75% of the original level of nitrates, about 18.75% of the original level of nitrates. So in total, you'll only be removing 25% + 18.75% of the nitrates instead.