How long before you can switch out filter pads from HOB filter

[Wnrwade]

So i got a sicce ADV 600 that I want to add to my 29 gallon tank and then remove my filter pads with carbon in them for plain filter pads and add some biomedia to it. Tank has been running for almost 3 months. According to the seachem alert I have less than .05 ppm of ammonia. Just changed water last night because I had a 5 ppm reading of nitrate. Nitrite was reading 0 ppm.
So how long before I can mod my hob? Was planing on only 1 filter pad at a time. HOB has 2 in it

 

[Salem]

you could just cut out the carbon and leave the existing pads in while also adding in the new media

 

[Wnrwade]

you could just cut out the carbon and leave the existing pads in while also adding in the new media

Thank you for this. I dont know why I didn't think of doing this cause the filter pads are actually able to be disassembled and I could just pour it out. Sometimes all you need is another perspective. Thank you again

 

[CTYankee79]

Just FYI 5ppm of nitrate is totally fine and a normal reading. Keep up with water changes for sure, but don’t worry about nitrates until they get above at least 20. Mine run closer to 40 at some points during the week but I also dose fertilizer so that raises them